


Faith, Saviour of the Universe!

by steeleye



Series: It's Grim Up North. [19]
Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Flash Gordon (1980)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Comedy, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-27
Updated: 2017-12-06
Packaged: 2019-02-07 12:29:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 27,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12841206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/steeleye/pseuds/steeleye
Summary: An 'It's Grim Up North' story; “Faith! Faith!” Dawn cried, “I love you, but we only have fourteen hours to save the Earth!” Earth is doomed unless Faith can save the day.





	1. Chapter 1

Faith, Saviour of the Universe!

By Steeleye.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Buffy the Vampire Slayer or ‘Flash Gordon’ which was directed by Mike Hodges, with a screenplay by Lorenzo Semple Jr and adapted for the screen by Michael Allin. The characters were created by Alex Raymond and the music was written and played by ‘Queen’. Any scripted words that you may recognise weren't written by me either. I write these stories for fun not profit.

 **Crossover:** The Buffyverse with the 1980 movie ‘Flash Gordon’.

 **Spelling, Punctuation, and Grammar:** Written in glorious English-English which is different to American-English.

 **Timeline:** An 'It's Grim Up North' story set in August 2006.

 **Words:** Ten chapters each of 2500+ words.

 **Warnings:** 'Stand back! Or I'll shoot you with my positronic ray!!!'

 **Summary:** An 'It's Grim Up North' story; “Faith! Faith!” Dawn cried, “I love you, but we only have fourteen hours to save the Earth!” Earth is doomed unless Faith can save the day.

0=0=0=0

“Klytus, I'm bored,” Emperor Ming complained, “what plaything can you offer me today?”

“An obscure body in the S-K-C, your majesty,” replied Klytus; a tall, black robed figure with a golden mask for a face. “The inhabitants refer to it as the planet ‘Earth’.”

“Now peaceful it looks,” sneered Ming before laughing evilly.

“Will you destroy this ‘Earth’, Sire?” Klytus asked conversationally.

“Later,” once again Ming chuckled evilly as he sat down behind a large control panel, “I like to play with things awhile before annihilation...MAW-HA-HA!”

0=0=0=0

**The Rosenberg-Scapone Residence, Middlesbrough, Cleveland, England, Earth.**

Standing at her kitchen sink, Willow stared out of the window at her back garden and imagined the herb garden she had planned and tried to ignore the slight feelings of nausea she was experiencing. Back in July she'd bitten the bullet and gone with Kennedy up to a clinic in Edinburgh and made a withdrawal from a Sperm Bank. The fertility specialist had said everything should work out fine and Willow and Kennedy had gone home to wait.

Having started to think about starting a family back before Buffy had got out of prison, Willow hadn't done very much about it until about a month ago. Kennedy had taken her on a weekend break to the South Coast so they could examine their relationship and decide what they wanted to do with their lives. Of course it hadn't quite worked out like that; they'd ended up going to the Moon, fighting evil Moon-creatures and escaping by the skin of their teeth. However, they'd both come back from the moon thinking life was way too short to wait and if they wanted to do something like, say, start a family, they'd better do it soon.

Looking at the garden again, Willow decided she'd start planting next spring, or more likely, she'd get Kennedy to do the planting...no, Kennedy would probably employ a proper gardener to set things up. Smiling, Willow reminded herself once more just how easier it made mundane things, like planting a herb garden, when you had a rich girlfriend.

Another wave of nausea swept over Willow and she held on to the kitchen sink and closed her eyes until it passed. The chances were, she _was_ actually pregnant. The doctor at the clinic had told her that she shouldn't have any problems conceiving. Opening her eyes, Willow did a mental count, she was a two or three days 'late'. Normally her periods were pretty regular, but she wasn't going to jump to any conclusions, not until she was at least a week late. Only then would she buy one of those predictor things and pee on it.

A dark cloud covered the sun and the light levels dropped dramatically making it almost as dark as night. Looking up at the sky Willow frowned. The weird, worldwide weather effects had started about a week ago and she'd become immediately suspicious. It wasn't that she had any evidence (at least not then) that something strange was going on, she just felt it in her bones.

Laughing at Willow's concerned mutterings, Kennedy had asked her why she didn't just investigate? After all she might have developed a witch's version of a slayer's 'spider sense', plus they'd all look pretty silly if the world did come to an end all because she'd ignored her feelings. Also it would give her something to do while Kennedy was in Eire helping the local slayers deal with a plague Leprechauns.

So, Willow had started to investigate and what she found had made her very worried. True, whatever was happening _could_ be written off as strange but normal weather effects. However, another explanation could be that it was all a prelude for planetary invasion. Knowing what she knew (there'd already been one alien attack on Middlesbrough which had cost over two hundred lives), Willow was leaning fairly heavily in the direction of interplanetary attack.

A shower of hailstones hit the kitchen window and made her jump, looking at her lawn, Willow watched as the hailstones steamed in the grass; hot hail she asked herself? Picking up her mug of green tea, Willow took a contemplative sip.

“Oh my goddess!” Willow gasped as she looked at the offending cup of tea, “That's disgusting!”

After tipping the tea down the drain, she told herself there was no way she was going to drink any more of that vile brew no matter how good it was supposed to be for pregnant ladies. Swilling out her mug she walked over to the breakfast bar; after switching on the kettle she went in search of milk, sugar and her tin of PG Tips tea bags. From now on she'd stick to normal tea, maybe she'd start to drink it with lemon, but she was having nothing more to do with these, so-called, herb teas.

0=0=0=0

With a steaming mug of brown, sugary tea clutched in her hand, Willow made her way up to her study. Kennedy had her weapons room, where (not surprisingly) she kept all her weapons and Willow had her 'study' where she kept all her computer and magic stuff. Once again Willow thanked her lucky stars that Kennedy was so rich and they could afford such a large house (and a cleaning lady to do most of the housework). For a moment Willow felt sorry for Buffy. Her oldest and bestest friend had been living at Giles' house. But now Giles was going to get married and Buffy would have to move back into one of the converted chalets on the old holiday camp where the Slayer Organisation had their headquarters.

“Poor Buffy,” Willow sighed as she opened the door to her study; but hopefully, by moving out of Giles' house, Buffy would stop having all those weird sexual fantasies about him.

Crossing the room, Willow put her mug of tea down next to the computer before sitting down in her expensive, ergonomic, chair (once again having a rich girlfriend ensured that this witch wasn't going to get a bad back from sitting hunched over her computer) and powered up her trusty, dread machine. Willow giggled girlishly at Giles' 'computer-phobia', of course he wasn't so bad now, but back in the day... Well, that was all water under the bridge now.

After typing in a few commands, Willow sat back and sipped her tea, she smiled as the hot liquid made its way down into her tummy and soothed the feelings of nausea she'd been having. Looking at the numbers marching across the screen, Willow's tea mug froze halfway to her lips. Staring at the screen in disbelief she put down her tea and started to type furiously, her fingers hitting the keyboard extra hard in her fear and anxiety.

“Oh-my-goddess,” Willow cried in something near panic, “this can't be happening!”

But it was happening and she had the figures to prove it. Going onto the internet, she logged into one of the science forums she used when she was doing research and wanted some feedback on her latest project. Today the only subject up for discussion was the strange weather all over world and yesterday's unexpected solar eclipse. Almost everyone was saying that these were just natural occurrences, after all science didn't know everything. A few other people pointed out that as humanity had been studying the heavens for thousands of years, people knew how to predict solar eclipses.

What was worrying Willow the most was that no one seemed to have noticed that the moon appeared to be drifting out of orbit, and in a few weeks or maybe only days it would crash into the Earth! Her tea forgotten, Willow picked up her mobile phone, she needed help, she needed to do something about this, she needed her friends around her. Dialling Buffy's number, Willow put her phone to her ear. After three rings the receptionist (who also acted as Buffy's secretary) at Slayer Central picked up. When Willow asked the young Australian woman where Buffy was, she was told that Buffy had gone into Middlesbrough earlier in the day and hadn't said when she'd be back; other than saying it was 'personnel business' Buffy hadn't said what she was doing there.

Thanking the girl, Willow hung up, so Buffy was unavailable, who did that leave? Kennedy was in Eire, Giles was in Leeds, which only really left Faith and Dawn. But where would they go once Willow contacted them? Willow had no idea. Getting up she grabbed her scrying bowl and put in down next to her computer. Next she took two terminals and plugged one end into the back of the computer and placed the free ends into the quicksilver of her scrying bowl. A little voice at the back of her head told her she needed to be careful around things like quicksilver now she was pregnant.

“Oh goddess,” Willow wailed; she was pregnant and if she didn't _do_ something her child would _never_ get to be born!

Quickly Willow cast her most powerful of locator spells over the computer-scrying bowl set up. Sitting down again she sipped her lukewarm tea and waited for something to happen.

0=0=0=0

**Middlesbrough Hospital Car Park.**

Looking up with a start, Faith watched the hail strike the hood of the car and bounce onto the tarmac of the car park. Hail in August, she raised an eyebrow; sighing she went back to her book and explained it all away by it being just a normal British summer. In the three years she'd lived in Britain she'd never really felt 'warm'. Adjusting her reading glasses, Faith went back to the cook book she'd been studying, she was twenty-six and she didn't know how to cook. Okay, she could put stuff in the microwave as expertly as the next slayer, but... But, it would be nice if she could cook so Dawn didn't have to do it all the time. It would be extra nice if once in a while she could cook a meal for Dawnie, special-like, just to show her how much she loved her.

Glancing at her watch, Faith saw that it was nearly five o'clock, Dawn would be coming off duty soon. About half-an-hour ago, Faith had spotted what she thought was Dawn's ambulance drive into the ambulance station part of the hospital and not come out again. This meant that unless there was some terrible accident in the next couple of minutes, Dawn would be coming out of the hospital and joining her so they could go home. Taking off her glasses, Faith put away her cookbook and switched on the car radio. It was tuned to a local news channel and Faith came in halfway through a news bulletin. 

“...seemingly there is no reason for these extraordinary intergalactical upsets,” announced the radio anchorman, “Only Dr Willow Rosenberg, formerly of UC Sunnydale, has provided any explanation…” there was a burst of loud static that drowned out the anchor's next few words, “...NASA scientists explained that yesterday's unprecedented solar eclipse is no cause for alarm…”

“Yeah right!” Faith told the radio, “I might not be a rocket scientist (Faith was in fact a Librarian when she wasn't slaying), but even I can see there's some weird shit going down...”

The sound of the passenger's door opening, drove all thoughts of NASA rocket scientists, solar eclipses and cookbooks from Faith's mind as she turned to see Dawn climb into the car.

“Hi honey,” Faith leant across the car and kissed Dawn on the lips, “have a nice day?”

“Two RTAs, one attempted suicide, rushed a pregnant lady to hospital and the usual crop of false alarms,” Dawn replied with a world weary sigh, “of course seeing you makes it all totally worth while...what about you?”

“Caught a couple of students screwing behind the stacks,” Faith admitted, “but otherwise nada.”

“Don't worry,” Dawn reached for Faith's hand and gave it a squeeze, “our lives can't be full of danger and excitement all the time.”

Just as Dawn stopped talking both their mobile phones started to buzz for attention.

“Ya do know you've jinxed any chance of a quiet night in, don't ya?” Faith pulled her phone from her pocket and looked at the screen.

“Sorry...” Dawn looked at her own phone.

“Willow,” both women said at the same time.

The message on both screens was the same, 'Come to Buffy's office...URGENT!'

“Oh, crap,” Faith muttered as she started the car's motor.

“Faith!” Dawn cried fearfully, “I know it said 'urgent', but...AAAAAAAAAAAGH!”

Screaming, Dawn grabbed hold of anything she could to stop herself being thrown around the interior of the car by the gee forces of Faith's acceleration. Faith had an almost mystical ability to drive to the speed limit while at the same time giving the impression that she was breaking every one of them. Fumbling for her seat belt, Dawn got it done up just in time to be forced back in her seat again as Faith accelerated violently and drove them out of the car park. Dawn couldn't help observing to herself that she drove an emergency ambulance at high speed almost every day, but Faith's driving still scared the crap out of her.

0=0=0=0

After skidding to a halt in the car park outside the admin block at Slayer Central, Dawn took a moment to allow her heart and stomach to catch up with her. Opening her door, she followed Faith into the admin building. Arriving in the reception area, she heard Faith ask the duty slayer where Willow was. The girl, a little stunned by Faith and Dawn's sudden and obviously agitated arrival pointed silently towards Buffy's office.

Hurrying down the corridor, Dawn again wondered at the work Xander and his building buddies had done to repair all the damage visited on Central by the religious fanatics who'd tried to sacrifice her to their goddess. Following Faith into Buffy's office, she saw Willow sitting at Buffy's desk (another present from Xander) typing furiously away at the computer keyboard.

“What's up Red?” Faith demanded as she came to a halt in front of Willow.

“I'm just leaving a full report for Buffy if she ever gets back from wherever it is she's gone,” Willow hit a few more keys before closing down the computer; she looked up at Faith and Dawn, “We may not have much time,” she gasped, “Earth is under attack and we need to counter attack and stop the big bad!”

“Okay...” Faith replied slowly, she knew Willow well enough by now to know she wasn't the sort of witch who cried wolf (or even that the world was about to be destroyed) every time something weird happened. However, Faith wanted some more information before she committed herself to raining down great buckets of death and destruction on the big bads. “So, what's happening?”

“Look,” Willow jumped up from Buffy's chair and was heading towards her executive bathroom, “there's not much time, the moon is crashing down on Earth and someone's making it happen...”

“But there's still time to use Buffy's bathroom?” Dawn asked as Willow opened the door to the private bathroom. “I realise the importance of personal grooming but...”

“Erm...no!” Willow hesitated in the doorway, “But...” Willow took a deep breath to calm herself down, “...look I know where the Big Bad is and the only way of getting there in time is by using Buffy's bathroom.”

“Huh!?” Faith and Dawn chorused.

“Look,” Willow led the way into the bathroom, “only Buffy and I know about this, but her shower opens a portal to wherever it is that the Big Bad hangs out...”

“Portal?” Faith repeated slowly.

“Big Bad?” Dawn added.

“Shower?” Faith frowned.

“TEA-UP-WANKY!?” Dawn gasped, Tea-up-wanky was the mispronunciation of the name of a suspected Big Bad that had been haunting the Slayer Organisation for the last few months.

“Come on,” Willow hopped from foot to foot as if she needed to pee urgently, “there's not much time...and you're probably gonna get wet!”

0=0=0=0


	2. Chapter 2

2.

**Buffy's Office, Slayer Central, Saltburn-by-the-Sea, England, Earth.**

“Wet?” Faith asked suspiciously.

“Yeah,” Willow replied, “now get in the shower we haven't got much time.”

“Hey, I'm not sure about this,” Faith pointed out, “couldn't we go home and get changed first?”

Having gone to collect Dawn straight from work, Faith was wearing some of her smart work clothes, true it was a fairly practical trouser suit, but she didn't want it ruined. Dawn, on the other hand was still dressed in her uniform of grass green shirt and dark green cargo pants. While this was more practical than Faith's outfit, it still wasn't the sort of thing that you wanted to go adventuring in. Willow's outfit was, if anything, even more impractical; she was wearing one of her signature, dark green, flowing, calf-length dresses; wicca chic as Kennedy called it.

“Come on guys,” Willow replied desperately, “times awasting, we've gotta save the Earth.”

“You've not gone all ecological on us, have you Will?” Dawn asked slowly.

“NO!” Willow cried in mounting frustration as no one had as yet got into the shower, “Just get into the shower, will you!?”

“Okay, okay,” Faith held up her hands in a placatory gesture while she gave Dawn a 'look' and stepped into the shower.

“Right,” Willow said in a slightly calmer tone as she climbed into the shower next to Faith and Dawn; it was a little crowded, “Okay, let me get to the controls.”

There was a lot of shuffling about as Willow squeezed between Dawn and Faith so she could get to the bank of brass levers and valves that controlled the shower.

“Now,” Willow started to explain, “I have to go through a set procedure to get this to work...”

“What procedure,” Dawn asked, as she eyed the big lever with the sign hanging from it that said, 'Do Not Touch', “and get what to work?”

“The portal,” Willow replied as she started to turn valves and move levers, “weren't you listening?”

“Look, Red,” Faith tried to sound reasonable, “I don't think this is a very...”

“Look buster!” Willow turned on Faith, she only called people 'Buster' when she was annoyed, “We've got to save the Earth and we've got to use Buffy's shower to do it...” Willow took a deep charming breath, “...y'know just because I'm pregnant doesn't mean I've gone insane.”

“Pregnant?” Faith asked in shock.

“You're pregnant?” Dawn squealed as she threw her arms around Willow's neck and hugged her fiercely, “Awwww! When's it due? Do you know the sex yet? What are you going to call it? Who's the father? Dibs on being the one to rush you to the hospital when you go into labour!”

Dawn was getting just a little overexcited and Faith felt she needed to be the voice of reason here.

“Erm, Red,” Faith began, “do ya really think y'should be going around saving the world an'all in your condition?”

“I'm a couple of weeks pregnant,” Willow snapped back, “I think I can manage, now...” Willow twisted a couple of taps, “...lets get this show on the road...”

“Shower,” Dawn pointed out helpfully.

“Whatever...” Willow turned a tap and water started to mist out from nozzles all around the three woman.

“Ewww!” Faith and Dawn cried in chorus as Willow pulled another lever.

And so it went on, Willow went through the sequence that Buffy had unwittingly discovered. After the 'mist' came the massage, followed by 'rain'. Everyone screamed at 'surprise' when water shot upwards from the floor. Finally, Willow pulled the big lever marked, 'Do Not Touch' and the portal opened in the wall behind them.

“There you are,” Willow pointed to the hole and sounded very vindicated; she made to climb through the hole into the strange looking world beyond, “lets go!”

“Hold on Red,” Faith put a firm but gentle hand on Willow's shoulder, “Slayers first, right?”

Letting Dawn hold Willow back, Faith looked through the portal. From her position in the shower she could see sand and rocks under a sky of swirling colours. In the distance she could just make out some weirdly shaped mountains. However, what she didn't see was anything that might be causing the destruction of the Earth. Pausing for a moment, Faith glanced back at Willow, she certainly looked worried and she had been acting pretty scared and she wasn't the sort of person to imagine anything like this.

“Okay,” Faith turned to look at Dawn and Willow, “I'll go through an' check the place out while you stay here...”

“But Faith...!” Willow cried out urgently.

“'But Faith' nothin',” Faith replied, “no one goes through that portal thing without me checking it out first. If I see anything real evil I'll signal and you,” she pointed at Willow, “close the portal don't wait for me...”

“But Faith!” Dawn cried a frightened look on her face.

“Don't sweat it kid,” Faith smiled at Dawn as she climbed through the portal, “It'll be five by five...”

0=0=0=0

**Somewhere that definitely wasn't Buffy's bathroom.**

Stepping through the portal, Faith found herself somewhere she was pretty sure wasn't anywhere near Saltburn-by-the-Sea. As has been already noted, there was sand and rocks; which Faith could now see had veins of different coloured minerals running through them. In the distance, she didn't know how far because there was nothing to give her anything to judge scale by, were the spiky mountains. Faith didn't know much about how mountains eroded, but these looked like they'd never eroded even one little bit. It was only when she turned towards the portal that she saw it. A huge (again it was difficult to judge scale) red and gold palace grew from the side of one of the mountains. It was sort of pyramid shaped, but it had towers and turrets and looked, Faith had to admit, impressive. However, whatever else was here, there didn't appear to be any living creature that would pose a danger to life and limb. Going back to the portal, Faith stuck her head through into Buffy's bathroom.

“Okay guys,” Faith called, “it looks safe, ya might as well come through.”

Standing back to keep watch, Faith waited for Dawn and Willow to join her on this strange new world. Hearing what sounded like a whispered argument, Faith glanced over to where Dawn was trying to help Willow through the portal, while Willow tried to explain that she was pregnant and not ill, infirm or in any other way incapacitated.

“Okay guys,” Faith called in the hopes of stopping the minor argument from escalating into a full blown blood feud, “keep the noise down, just coz I ain't seen nothin' dangerous doesn't mean we're safe.”

“WOW!” Willow gasped as she looked up at the sky, her little disagreement with Dawn forgotten.

“Pretty!” Dawn agreed as she watched the colours swirl about above her head.

“GEE-WHIZ!” Willow cried as she caught sight of the palace, “Ostentatious much!”

“Pretentious,” Dawn agreed, “and maybe just a little kitsch.”

“Whatever,” Faith shrugged, “look if we're gonna explore how do we get home again?”

“Explore?” Willow replied with a wide grin on her face, “Of course we're going to explore, this is like a whole different planet and I haven't been off world since I came back from the moon...”

“Willow Rosenberg, galactic explorer,” Dawn muttered with an ill grace.

“Getting home?” Faith prompted.

“Oh yeah,” Willow sounded like the entire problem of getting home had slipped her mind, “we can leave the portal running. It doesn't seem to be drawing any power from anywhere, I'll just put a camouflage spell on it.” 

Watching as Willow waved her hands about, Faith and Dawn heard the tinkly, fairy bells that warned them that magic had been done. Looking at the portal, Faith noticed that she could still see it.

“Erm, Red,” she pointed at the portal, “not impressed with the camouflage I can still see it.”

“Of course you can silly,” Willow laughed, “wouldn't be much good if we couldn't see it now would it?”

“Suppose,” Faith shrugged still not totally convinced.

“Silly slayer,” Dawn whispered with a girlish giggle.

“You wait 'til I get you home,” Faith muttered quietly, “there'll be no chains for you for a week!”

“Oh no!” Dawn gasped in faux horror, “Please, Faith I'll be good!”

“What?” Willow asked as she tore her eyes away from the palace and looked at her companions.

“Nothing,” Faith and Dawn chorused as innocently as they could.

“Okay,” Willow slipped into her school ma'am tone of voice, “If I were an Evil Overlord and I was trying to destroy the Earth, where would I be?”

“We could try looking in that honking, big, palace thing,” Dawn suggested only to get a sharp look off Willow.

“Of course we'll try the palace,” Willow snapped, “it was sort of a rhetorical question!”

“Hey don't get snippy with my girlfriend,” Faith warned.

“It's okay, Faith,” Dawn put a calming hand on Faith's arm, “it's 'cause she's pregnant...hormones y'know?”

“It's not because I'm pregnant!” Willow raised her voice sharply, “It's because I'm surrounded by fools!”

“HEY...!” Faith was about to say more but was interrupted by the arrival of half-a-dozen guys (at least she thought they were guys) in red uniforms and gold coloured armour.

The 'soldiers' moved in to surround the Earthlings just as Faith was deciding that they didn't look so tough, probably palace guards she thought. Good at polishing their armour and looking cool but useless in a real fight. Moving into a good attack position, she noticed that the guard-guys had long, weird looking, gold coloured guns strapped to their right thighs and hanging from their waists on the left were broad bladed swords also in gold.

“Okay guys,” Faith whispered so only Willow and Dawn could hear, “when the crap hits the fan, follow my lead.”

As she was talking another soldier turned up. This one was dressed in long red robes and wore a mask that made him look like there was a pig or dog under the uniform, he also held some sort of gun in his hand and at the moment he was pointing it at Faith.

“Hi!” Faith smiled in what she hoped was a friendly manner, “I'm Faith, from Earth y'know?” she took a step towards the soldier and held out her hand to him, “We come in peace...”

“Yeah, right,” Dawn muttered under her breath, “like they're totally gonna believe that.”

Obviously, Dawn's assessment of the situation was accurate because the soldier fired his gun at Faith. Half expecting to be dead, Faith was surprised to find her hand being gripped by a golden gauntlet. Just as she was wondering how it'd got there she found herself pulled off her feet and tossed onto her back in the sand.

“HEY!” Faith cried out, her pride having been given a serious knock.

As she tried to regain her feet the soldier fired his gun again, this time a gaudy gauntlet appeared around her throat and started to choke the life out of her.

“WHY YOU...!” Dawn launched herself at the closest of the guards to try and save her girlfriend and was clubbed to the ground.

Willow, was so surprised by events that she never got to utter one spell before a couple of guards grabbed her and knocked her out cold.

0=0=0=0

Waking up our three heroes found themselves in a too small lift filled with far too many guards.

“Everyone okay?” Faith asked rubbing her throat, there were muttered affirmations form both Dawn and Willow.

“Who are these guys?” Dawn wanted to know as she nodded at the guards jammed into the lift with them.

“Whoever they are,” Willow replied not caring much if the guards overheard her or not, “they're obviously highly developed technologically, I'm sure we can reason with them.”

“Sure?” Dawn didn't sound so convinced as she looked around at the gold and red clad guards who were squeezed tightly into the lift.

“Well,” Willow shrugged, “almost sure.”

“Ya wanna bet on that, Red?” Faith asked.

“Like I say,” Willow frowned, “I'm almost sure.”

The lift jerked to a halt, the doors opened and they were bundled out of the elevator and into a huge hall-like chamber. The room was full of more gold and red guards and was itself decorated in red apart from a couple of huge, black, busts of some bald guy's head; whoever he was he didn't have the look of someone who could be reasoned with.

“Fuck me!” Faith gasped as she looked around the hall.

“What is this a civic reception?” Dawn wondered as she took a couple of steps into the chamber.

“More like a police state,” Willow whispered suddenly deciding that it was probably best if people didn't hear her plotting. “If it is we'll have allies all around us...”

Faith eyed all the troops standing either side of the route towards what looked like a pair of very big metal doors.

“Look at them,” Willow gestured towards the guards, “the poor wretches are just waiting for some one to lead them in revolt.”

“Ya think?” Faith and Dawn said in unison.

“Okay,” Dawn held up her hands to stop the others from talking, “please, lets stop talking about revolts, I just want to go home.”

“There-there, Dawnie,” Willow patted Dawn on the shoulder, “we'll soon be home.”

Just as Willow was speaking they arrived at the short, yet somehow grand flight of stairs that led up to the still closed metal door. The guards seemed to want them to go on because they pushed the Earthlings towards the steps. As out heroes began to climb the stairs, the door started to slide open to reveal a dark corridor and an odd, metallic, head-like thing hovering in the air in front and above them.

“Guards halt!” ordered the head-like thing in a loud, robotic, echoy voice, “Prisoners follow me.”

The head-robot started to float along the corridor. Not having much choice in the matter and anyway they were all curious to find out what was going on, Faith, Dawn and Willow followed the floaty thing down the corridor as the door slide silently closed behind them. They'd not gone more than a few yards when the robot stopped.

“Halt, Lizardman!” the robot's voice echoed up and down the corridor, “Escape is impossible, surrender.”

Turning the Earthlings saw a short, green, lizard-like creature, perhaps four feet tall standing transfixed half way across the corridor behind them.

“Now that's something you don't see everyday,” Willow pointed out.

Before anyone could reply to Willow's observation the robot shot the little lizardman with some sort of beam. The lizard creature disintegrated and fell as ash to the corridor floor.

“Wow,” Faith gasped impressed, “I gotta have one of those!”

“Faith!” Dawn slapped Faith's arm in annoyance as the robot head retook its place slightly in front of the Earthlings.

“March below me to the presence of Emperor Ming!” It ordered.

“Erm, lets not argue with it,” Dawn suggested adding, “you can both hold my hands if you're scared or anything?”

Both Faith and Willow took hold of Dawn's hands.

“You still wanna reason with that?” Faith asked quietly.

* _Don't worry,_ * Willow replied telepathically, * _I can put the mojo on them, then they'll be sorry they ever messed with Earth and Willow Rosenberg._ *

Faith and Dawn looked at each other and rolled their eyes, * _Show off_ * they thought together.

* _I heard that!_ * Willow thought back just as they entered Emperor Ming's audience chamber.

0=0=0=0


	3. Chapter 3

3.

**Emperor Ming's Audience Chamber.**

Emperor Ming's audience chamber, was very large and just a little 'tacky'. It was all red and gold plus it was filled with the strangest assortment of 'fashion victims' any of the Earth women had seen. There were a bunch of guys with what looked like wings growing out of their backs. Another group looked like fantasy Africans, these were heavy on the gold bling. There were midgets, another bunch of losers in black and white robes and of course, the ubiquitous Amazon types in skimpy bikinis with long floaty cloaks and weird headdresses.

“Y'know the bikini look isn't very practical,” Willow observed as they walked passed the Amazons.

All around these 'people' (to use the term in its widest possible meaning) were more red and gold uniformed palace guard types. As Dawn, Faith and Willow were ushered down a long flight of stairs before being pushed onto a landing from where they could observe the entire chamber, they saw the 'bird men' walk by the fantasy Africans. As soon as the fantasy Africans noticed the bird men the two parties went for their swords, however, everyone relaxed before any blood could be spilt. Obviously these two factions didn't like each other.

At the far end of the chamber was a raised plinth upon which stood a 'man' dressed in black robes which had unfashionably pointy shoulder pads; the man also wore a gold mask over his face. Anyone could see that this was the guy in charge. However, this assumption was soon challenged by the arrival of a tall, bald, guy dressed in lavish gold and red robes (by now the Earthlings were getting a little fed up of all the gold and red, hadn't anyone heard of pastels?). This new guy's outfit just screamed 'evil overlord' with its high collar, he even had a goatee. It was obviously designed to make him look more evil than he was, but in fact it just made him look like a disaffected member of the 'Grateful Dead'. The evil overlord came to stand on the platform near the guy in the black robes. He stopped and raised his right hand in an imperious gesture.

“HAIL MING HAIL!” everyone in the chamber shouted as they turned towards the evil overlord, “RULER OF THE UNIVERSE...”

“Guess he must be the man in charge,” Willow whispered to her companions.

“HAIL MING HAIL! EMPEROR OF THE GALAXY!” the crowd continued before falling silent.

“Over the top, much!” Dawn commented.

“The tributes of the Hawkmen will be first,” announced the guy with the black robes and gold face; he was evidently the evil overlord's 'trusted lieutenant'; evil empires are difficult to run without at least one 'trusted lieutenant'.

Unnoticed by everyone, because they were distracted by the Hawkmen, a very attractive, young, woman dressed in a sexy gold outfit that revealed more of her than it covered, watched the proceedings from behind a pillar.

“These fabled ice jewels of Fridgia,” a large bearded Hawkman with a booming voice held up a large crystal to the evil emperor, “we seized in battle from the royal prince...”

There was a disturbance behind the Earthlings who all turned to see what was going on. A tall, handsome guy dressed in green with a long sword at his hip was marching down the stairs towards the chamber followed by half a dozen soldier types also dressed in green.

“STOP!” cried the man in green before explaining, “The ice Jewels were our tribute not Prince Vultan's!” The green man and his guards marched rapidly across the chamber towards where the Hawkman stood in front of the Emperor. “Vultan stole it from us while we buried our dead on Fridgia...!

“LIAR!” roared the bearded Hawk leader.

“...you are a thief,” continued the green prince as he came to a halt in front of the Emperor.

“DIIIIE!” yelled Prince Vultan as he raised a long sword-like club and the green prince drew his sword.

“Put down your weapons,” ordered the trusted lieutenant in the sort of voice that was hard to disobey, “no one dies in the Royal Palace without a direct order from the Emperor.”

Reluctantly the two men lowered their weapons as did their followers. It seemed to Willow that this Emperor Ming guy was using the age old, divide and rule method of holding his empire together.

“Hail Ming,” both men replied reluctantly.

“Now the tributes from Ardentia,” announced the gold faced man as if nothing unusual had just happened.

The fantasy African with the most and flashiest bling advanced on the Emperor and came to a halt about half a dozen paces below where Emperor Ming stood.

“Your majesty,” the gold encrusted African bowed to the emperor, “We, the people of Ardentia, have suffered much since you blasted our planet...”

“If that's suffering,” Dawn whispered, referring to the man's gold outfit, “you can make me suffer as much as you like!”

“...I can offer you nothing this year except my loyalty,” continued the African.

“Liar, liar pants on fire,” Willow muttered under her breath, “what about all that gold he's wearing they could have melted it down and made something nice...” Willow noticed the look Dawn and Faith were giving her, “...you know...” she went on defensively, “...they could have made a nice rose bowl or a crown or something.”

Any comment Dawn and Faith were about to make was drowned out by what the guy in black said next.

“We prize nothing so highly,” explained the man in black, “now tell us, how great is this loyalty to your emperor?”

“Without measure!” replied the African Prince with a smile and, Willow thought, a little foolishly, she was proved correct faster than she could have imagined.

“We are delighted to hear it,” Ming spoke for the first time, “fall on your sword.”

The African Princes' face fell as he realised he'd talked himself into a death sentence.

“I bet he's wishing he'd melted the bling down and made that rose bowl now,” Willow muttered.

“Show us this 'loyalty,” Ming continued, “and throw yourself onto your sword.”

After a couple of moment's quite natural hesitation, the African Prince walked up to the stairs in front of Ming, climbing a couple of the stairs he stopped about half way towards Ming; he turned to face the chamber and drew his sword.

“May this deed be an example to all,” the Prince called in a loud clear voice, “to all the Kingdoms on Mongo...” the man turned and lunged towards Ming, “...DEATH TO MING!”

Before the African Prince could strike, the robot head, which had been floating nearby, shot him with a blue beam. The Prince froze as if turned to stone, he'd plainly been paralysed by the beam. Walking down the stairs to where the frozen prince stood, Ming sneered nastily before releasing the sword held in the African's hand. Taking the sword in his own hand he trust it into the would-be assassins stomach. When he pulled it out the end six inches of sword was covered in blue blood.

“Well, I suppose that proves he really was royalty,” Dawn whispered nervously as the Prince slumped to lie on the steps at Ming's feet.

“This Ming's soo dead!” Faith said just a little too loudly.

“THIS MING'S SOO DEAD!” Faith's words were repeated loudly to the entire chamber.

“Who said that?” demanded the man with the golden face.

“The sexy brunette in the damp trouser suit,” replied the robot head.

The girl in the revealing gold outfit, who everyone had forgotten about, now came out of hiding and walked sexily over towards Ming. Her eyes, however, were riveted to Faith as the three Earthlings were escorted towards the Emperor.

“Who are you?” Asked the man with no taste.

“Faith Lehane...librarian,” Faith replied defiantly, she thought it best to keep the fact that she was a slayer secret...for now.

“Dawn Summers,” Dawn tried to curtsy, but that never looked right if you were wearing trousers, “Cleveland Ambulance Service.”

“My name is Willow Rosenberg I'm a w...” Willow stopped herself from saying 'witch', instead she said, “that's Doctor Willow Rosenberg, I'm a scientist...we came here to save our planet, 'Earth'.”

“The obscure body in the SKC that has been giving you so much amusement of late, your majesty,” explained the man with the incompetent fashion advisor.

“Hey!” Willow took a step towards Ming, “So it _is_ you who's been doing all this weird stuff, why are you attacking us, we've done nothing to you...”

“Yet,” Faith whispered out of the side of her mouth.

“Why not?” Ming replied haughtily, “Pathetic, Earthlings hurling your bodies out into the void without the slightest knowledge of what awaits you,” he sneered unpleasantly, “If you had even the slightest inkling of who or what is out here. If you knew anything about the true nature of the universe you would have hidden from it in terror!”

“Oh phooey,” Willow sighed unimpressed, as she'd helped fight the First Evil this rather minor evil overlord didn't exactly fill her with terror.

Raising his hand, Ming gestured, “Come closer,” Willow took a step forward but was stopped in mid-stride by Ming's shout of, “Not you!” He gestured towards Dawn, “You...let us see you.”

“Me?” Dawn asked fearfully, unlike Willow, Evils, big or small, still unnerved her, she clutched hold of Faith's hand and refused to move.

Angered by Dawn's refusal to obey him, Ming clenched his fist and pointed a particularly tacky ring at her. There was a high-pitched warbling sound as Dawn stiffened and took a hesitant step towards the Emperor. Engulfed in a purple haze, Dawn let go of Faith's hand and walked towards Ming only stopping when she reached the foot of the stairs.

“Dawn!” Faith cried out.

“Don't,” Willow grabbed hold of Faith's arm preventing her from doing anything foolishly heroic.

Standing before Ming, engulfed in the purple haze, Dawn appeared to lose all her inhibitions. Seemingly unaware of all the people around her, she ran her hands over her breasts and down across her stomach until they came to rest between her legs. Moving her hands across her body again, Dawn started to squeeze her breasts with one hand while she stroked herself between the legs with the other. Raising his right hand, Ming seemed to be able to touch Dawn as his tacky jewellery glowed on his left, Dawn's body jerked spasmodically as she moaned in pleasure.

“Hey,” Willow took a half step to bring her next to Faith, “I mean 'wow', I never guessed, she was...” Willow saw the look in Faith's eyes, “Of course its disgusting...and I've never thought of Dawnie like that...I mean I've know her since she was little...yuck,” Willow shivered unconvincingly in disgust.

“Did you ever see such...” Ming searched for the right word, he chose, “...response?”

“No, truly,” the man in the golden mask agreed, “she even rivals your daughter.”

Lowering his hand Ming banished the haze and Dawn was left to stand, embarrassed and confused in front of the evil overlord, she looked around and rushed towards Faith.

“What happened?” she asked pretending she couldn't remember what she'd just done.

“I don't know,” Faith replied as she held onto Dawn, “but why don't you do stuff like that at home?”

“Remove the younger Earth-woman!” Ming ordered.

“Hey what do you mean, 'younger'?” Willow took a step towards Ming.

“Prepare her for our...” Ming paused for just a beat, “...PLEASURE...MAW-HA-HA!”

“Hail Ming! Hail Ming! Hail Ming! HAIL!” Chanted the assembled lackeys and toadies as half a dozen men in red leotards advanced on Dawn to take her away to Ming's private chambers.

“Forget it Ming,” Faith had had just about enough of this; she stepped in front of Dawn, “Dawn's with me!”

“Aww thanks, Faith,” Dawn went all silly and girlie for a moment until a couple of the men in red grabbed her and started to haul her away. “FAITH!” Dawn cried as she was dragged off.

“Stay back!” Faith warned Willow as she moved towards the men who were laying hands on her girlfriend.

“Go on Faith!” Dawn called as she struggled with the men holding her, “Kill the bastards!”

Stamping on the foot of one of the men holding her, Dawn pulled her arm free of his grasp before turning to knee the other in the crotch. While this was going on, Faith had barrelled into the other four guards and knocked them all flying. Hopping on one foot the guard who'd had Dawn's work boots come in violent contact with his own foot grabbed Dawn again and lifted her off her feet. Making a slight gesture, Willow caused the large egg-like object in one of the nearby lackey's hands to fly across the short distance from toady to guard and cave in the guard's skull. Letting go of Dawn the guard slumped to the floor as blood seeped from a severe head wound. Only yards away, Faith was picking up the other guards one at a time and punching them in the face. Her blows shattered the bones in the front of their skulls and driving bone fragments into the brains, killing them instantly.

“Klytus,” Ming gestured for the black robed spectre to join him, “are your men on the right pills? Perhaps you should execute their trainer?”

Klytus, made a gesture of his own and this time a dozen new guards appeared and advanced on Faith and Dawn, everyone appeared to be ignoring Willow. Kicking one of the guards in the knee cap with her steel toe capped boot, Dawn watched as he screamed in agony and rolled on the floor. Meanwhile Faith disappeared under a pile of eight or so guards. For a moment there was no sign of her, but then guards started to fly through the air as she hurled them off her, within seconds Faith was free and moving towards Dawn who had been grabbed by the last three guards still on their feet. Although Dawn, kicked, punched, scratched and bit her attackers they held on to her like their lives depended on it (which they probably did).

Meanwhile, Willow was making objects fly across the chamber to collide with any of the guard's who attempted to regain their feet after Faith had put them down. It was, however, Willow's magic that was to be Faith's downfall. Miss timing a magical attack, Willow managed to hit Faith on the head with a fast moving vase. The vase shattered and Faith staggered on a step or two before falling to the floor. Suddenly, after seeing Faith's demise, the guards sprang to their collective feet and grabbed hold of the three Earth-women and dragged them before Ming.

“Don't kill her yet, father,” the girl in the sexy gold outfit breathed huskily; this was the Princess Aura, Ming's beautiful, depraved and evil daughter, “I want her, give her to me.”

“What would your Prince Barin say?” Ming asked quietly.

“I can handle Barin,” Aura licked her lips as she glanced over to where the man in green stood surrounded by his attendants, “Pleeeez,” begged the princess as her father kissed her fingers in a most inappropriate manner.

“Really, Aura,” Ming sighed, “your appetites are too dangerous, I refuse,” looking away from the sultry girl he addressed the guards and the chamber in general, “Guards! Deliver the scientist to General Klytus for conditioning for the Imperial Secret Police. This one here,” he pointed to Faith, “has defied us before our subjects, we order her disposed of tonight by public execution. Have the girl taken to my private chambers and prepared!”

0=0=0=0


	4. Chapter 4

4.

**Ming's Palace, some time later.**

On one of the many football field sized balconies of Ming's palace, black robed technicians prepared a gas chamber for Faith's up and coming execution. Soldiers held back the crowds of happy palace inhabitants...they were happy because they were not the ones being executed.

“ _This is a public announcement, the Earthling, Faith Lehane will be executed at twenty-nine fifteen Mongo meantime..._ ” the voice of the announcer echoed from the towers and turrets of the palace as more officials gathered to watch the fun.

Hidden from the view of the crowd and Klytus's spies, Princess Aura pushed her fiancée, Prince Barin, up against the wall of a dark passageway. Kissing his lips fiercely she rubbed her nubile (and barely clothed) body up against him.

“Fly back to your kingdom,” Aura instructed him as she broke away from his lips, “you may see me sooner than you think,” again she kissed him.

“Lying bitch!” Barin replied once his lips were free of the emperor's daughter.

“I'll come,” Aura promised seductively, “if you rocket there right away,” the truth was that Aura wanted Barin out of the way, she had plans that didn't include the Prince.

“Why?” Barin demanded.

“I have a surprise for you,” Aura explained temptingly, “don't you love me?”

“I don't trust you,” Barin replied hating himself because he desired Aura so much and he couldn't break free of the spell she'd put on him.

“It's your choice,” Aura smiled as she pressed her body against Barin's again.

“Just be there!” Barin snapped as he turned away from the girl and marched off towards the landing fields.

0=0=0=0

**One of Emperor Ming's Dungeons.**

Hanging by her wrists from the centre of the room, Faith's voice came from deep within the metal hood that someone had put over her head. After being knocked out in the audience chamber, Faith had been carried down into the depths of the dungeon levels. Here she'd be stripped to the waist, her wrists locked into shackles and a metal hood placed over her head. Of course she'd tried to break her restraints but they'd resisted her best efforts, not knowing what else to do, she'd settled on complaining.

“I demand to see the Governor!” Faith's muffled voice came from within the hood.

Thinking that perhaps the Governor had actually arrived, Faith heard a door open and close, foot steps approached her and she could sense someone standing in front of her.

“I can hardly breath in this thing!” Faith called out.

“Yes you don't look well,” Faith recognised the voice as that of the gold faced, black robed, trusted lieutenant, Klytus. “I'm told you refused your final meal,” Klytus went on in a slightly bored sounding voice, “the chief will be disappointed.”

“Tell him to go to hell!” Faith replied defiantly.

“Maybe it's just as well,” Klytus replied as he walked around Faith's hanging form, “gas works more quickly on an empty stomach...any final requests?”

“Yes,” Faith's voiced echoed from within the hood, “let me see Dawn...right away!”

“Oh,” Klytus sighed heavily, “how pathetic...yes I'd anticipated this,” Klytus walked away from Faith to stand in the light coming in from the dungeon's one and only window. “Bring in the Emperor's concubine.”

Once again the dungeon door was opened and Dawn was propelled through the door by two 'pig faced' guards. Someone had relieved her of her Cleveland Ambulance Service uniform and replaced it with a long red dress made out of some kind of silk-like material and a stupid, gold coloured headdress which wobbled, precariously on her head.

“Oh my god!” Dawn cried as she saw Faith for the first time in several hours.

“DAMN-YOU!” Faith cried out, “I said I wanted to _SEE_ her!”

Raising his left hand, Klytus pointed a ring at Faith, a green beam shot from the ring to strike Faith's hood. There was a flash and the hood vanished instantly.

“You have until the sands run up,” Klytus informed Faith and Dawn as he turned over a large hourglass.

Walking out of the dungeon, Klytus left the two lovers as the sands of the hourglass flowed from the lower section to the upper. He paused in the doorway and glanced back at Dawn and Faith.

“Pathetic,” he muttered before leaving the dungeon.

“Hey,” Faith forced a smile, “where'd ya get the dress?”

“Oh this old thing?” Dawn ran her hand over the soft material, “I got it on sale...it didn't cost a lot, honest.”

“Suits you,” Faith added as she felt the tears start to burn her eyes.

“It's a change to see you all chained up,” Dawn grinned as she stepped closer to Faith.

“Yeah,” Faith looked up at the shackles binding her hands above her head, “to be honest, I don't see what ya get outta it.”

Dawn stood in front of Faith, rested her hands on her lover's breasts, standing on tip-toe she kissed Faith's lips.

“Now do you get it?” she asked as she broke away but kept her hands on her lover's breasts.

“Erm, yeah,” Faith replied as she felt her desire for Dawn rise within her.

This was stupid, Faith told herself, here she was about to be executed and all she could think about was making out with her girlfriend.

“How long have we got?” Dawn whispered urgently as she pressed herself against Faith.

“Until the sands run up,” Faith replied her breath coming in short gasps.

“Time enough!” Dawn started to unfasten Faith's trousers before slipping her hand inside, she silenced any protest Faith might have made by kissing her tenderly on the lips, “Oh god Faith,” Dawn gasped, “what can we do?”

“Ya doin' pretty good right now,” Faith replied as Dawn's fingers insinuated their way inside her and her lips worked on her breasts and nipples.

“I love you Faith,” Dawn moaned between kissing Faith's firm breasts and flicking her nipples with her tongue, “I never knew what love really was until I met you...”

“Me...oh god that's good...did I...” Faith admitted breathlessly, “...I don't think I loved anyone before I met you...”

By now Faith was finding it hard to speak as Dawn's fingers urged her on to her climax. Moaning loudly, Faith's thighs clamped together trapping Dawn's hand between her legs. Shouting out her desire, Faith orgasmed as she hung in her bonds her screams of pleasure echoing and re-echoing around the dungeon. As her orgasm subsided, Faith felt Dawn rest her head against her chest. Slowly withdrawing her hand from between Faith's legs, Dawn found herself looking at the sand in the hourglass, it had nearly all run up. Noticing where Dawn's eyes were looking, Faith saw what Dawn was planning to try and do.

“No Dawnie,” Faith cried, “don't look at it!”

Heedless of Faith's instruction, Dawn ran over to the hourglass and tried to pick it up so she could smash it to pieces on the dungeon's stone floor.

“It won't move!” Dawn cried as she struggled with the hourglass, it felt as if it was welded to the bench on which it rested, “IT WON'T MOVE!” She sobbed as she gave up the struggle.

The door to the dungeon opened to admit several guards, two rushed across the room and grabbed Dawn before dragging her towards the door. Other guards released Faith from her bonds only to chain her hand and foot with the unbreakable chains.

“FAITH!” Dawn screamed as the guards dragged her away, “I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU!” she sobbed, “I love you so much...”

“Love ya more, Dawnie,” Faith replied quietly before the guards led her out of the dungeon and towards the gas chamber.

0=0=0=0

**The Execution Field.**

Standing on a platform that over looked the Execution Field, Emperor Ming, glanced at his daughter who stood beside him before taking a sip from the goblet in his left hand. Today, both Ming and Aura were dressed in black and gold in celebration of the execution. They both watched impassively as Klytus led Faith towards the gas chamber.

His eyes falling on Faith, now dressed only in a pair of tight, black leather, hot pants, Ming questioned his decision on having the Earth woman executed. She really was quite attractive and perhaps he'd made a mistake in not sending her to his harem along with the other Earth girl. But then he remembered how she'd so easily defeated Klytus' guards. Shaking his head almost imperceptibly, Ming decided that execution was the safest route, the universe was full of attractive young women for him to populate his bed chamber with.

As the procession made its way towards the gas chamber, Ming noticed the figure of the young doctor who was there to ensure that the prisoner was dead at the end of the ceremony. Glancing at his daughter once more, Ming smiled.

“Did you enjoy yourselves on Brightonia?” Ming asked, “I understand you flew the doctor there last week...Klytus kindly fed me the information.”

“Klytus,” Aura sneered, “he wants me for himself, his agents are always making up lies about me.”

By now Faith had been led into the gas chamber were she would be forced to sit in the heavy iron chair that was bolted to the floor. Faith had been warned that if she didn't cooperate things would go badly for Dawn, so she'd reluctantly agreed to be a 'good little victim' in order to save Dawn any further pain.

With one last defiant sneer at Klytus, and a final look towards the window from where Dawn and Willow watched, Faith took a deep breath and walked into the chamber. Sitting in the chair her wrists and ankles were restrained by heavy metal restraints as a black bag was put over her head. Trying to control her breathing, Faith felt something else, something like a metal bucket being put on her head over the black bag, it effectively held her head still.

Unable to see or move, Faith could hear nothing except her own heartbeat beating in time with the drums of the execution squad outside the chamber. However, she could also sense the technicians and soldiers start to file out of the chamber. It was then she felt someone standing really close to her as if they were bending down to speak to her privately, Faith flinched at the unexpected touch of something cold and metal against her arm.

“This will help you on your way,” said a voice; there was a quiet hiss, and Faith felt something freezing cold against her skin as she became aware of herself starting to drift away.

Up on the Emperor's platform, Aura glanced over to where Dawn and Willow were watching the execution, she noticed the tears running down Dawn's face.

“Look father,” Aura called in wonder as she drew her father's attention to Dawn, “look there is water coming from her eyes.”

“They're called 'tears',” Ming explained, “it is a sign of their weakness.”

Giving the signal for the gas to be released, Ming watched as the green fumes filled the gas chamber. Faith seemed to struggle for a moment or two but then she relaxed to sit as still as death in her chair. At the sight of this Dawn screamed in anguish and collapsed onto the floor. Guards stepped forward almost immediately and pulled her roughly to her feet before dragging her away. Other guards took Willow by the arms and pulled her towards another door.

0=0=0=0

**A Burial Chamber Deep Under Ming's Palace.**

A great, black, stone, sarcophagus stood in the centre of the chamber. On its lid were carved the words; 'Faith Lehane, Earthling, Executed by Ming'. At the far end of the chamber a door slid silently open to admit Aura and the young doctor from the execution ceremony. Aura was dressed in a figure hugging, red, two-piece flight suit with an extremely low cut neck line and huge pointy shoulder pads which seemed to be all the rage on Mongo. The doctor was dressed in traditional white scrubs with no shoulder pads what-so-ever. They moved quickly and quietly towards Faith's tomb. Using one of the ubiquitous ring devices, Aura unlocked the sarcophagus causing its lid to open slowly to reveal Faith's body.

“Hurry!” Aura ordered the doctor.

“Do you realise what'll happen to me if I'm found down here?” demanded the doctor as he pressed a device against Faith's arm. “Your father will have me executed.”

“You won't be,” Aura smiled insincerely, “I swear it.”

“I'm a fool for you, Aura,” the doctor admitted as he injected Faith with some restorative potion. “There we are,” he smiled hopefully at the princess, “Brightonia again, same place next weekend?”

“I can hardly wait,” Aura said aloud, inside she reassured herself that she probably could.

Kissing the princess on her cold lips, the doctor collected up his doctoring equipment and rushed from the tomb. Alone now with her new plaything, Aura smiled in anticipation as she bent to kiss Faith on her lips and wake her from her drug induced 'death'. Waiting for the doctor's potions to do their work, Aura passed the time by letting her hand glide teasingly up and down Faith's almost naked body. Slowly Faith began to stir and Aura moved so she was standing by Faith's head where she'd be the first thing that the Earth woman saw when she finally opened her eyes.

“Where am I?” Faith asked showing a total lack of imagination which was only excusable due to her having recently been dead; her eyes slowly opened, took in the burial chamber and the evil princess who stood over her as she smiled down at her.

“Back from the dead,” Aura replied unhelpfully, “I saved you.”

“FUCK ME!” Faith cried out as she sat up in her coffin like a silver screen vampire.

“If you want,” Aura giggled like some depraved schoolgirl, “but not here, eh?”

“How?” Faith demanded not for the moment noticing that Aura's hand was drifting lightly across her breast to linger on her nipple.

“Oh I thought we could do it in any number of ways...” Aura quickly realised that Faith wasn't asking the question Aura thought she was asking, “Magic, of course,” Aura replied seductively, “with a kiss because I like you.”

“Where's Dawn and Red?” Faith demanded as she climbed out of the sarcophagus.

“Don't worry about them, they're safe now,” Aura replied in a tone of voice that should have warned Faith that she really did need to worry about her friends and had she not just woken up from a short attack of death she would have. “Quickly,” Aura picked up a sports bag that had lain hidden behind Faith's coffin, “put this uniform on before the lizard men arrive to take your body away...don't worry I won't look.”

Standing next to the sarcophagus and looking into the mirror inset into the lid of the tomb (why any one would put a mirror in a coffin no one explained; perhaps the dead are fussy about their appearance), Aura smiled as she watched Faith remove her leather hot pants before putting on her stolen uniform.

“I like you a lot,” Aura smiled as she watched Faith's naked body reflected in the mirror.

0=0=0=0


	5. Chapter 5

5.

**Ming's Secret Police Headquarters.**

Lying strapped to the torture table, Willow had to admit that, as torture tables went, this one was pretty comfortable, perhaps Ming's Secret Police hadn't quite got the entire torture thing down right. The table itself was nicely padded and covered in some sort of velvet-like material, there was even a nice, firm pillow thing under her head which kept her head up so she could look around without too much difficulty. Even the straps that kept her on the table weren't tight, they didn't cut into her flesh or constrict her breathing. To be honest she wasn't getting turned on at all by any of this, they'd even left her clothes on! Kennedy was _soooo_ much better with the bondage stuff and there weren't even any whips or other torture devices in evidence.

“Oh no!” Willow tried to stifle the giggle that bubbled up from inside her, “Not the comfy chair...or in this case, table.”

Perhaps they'd poke her with cushions too. Her mind was distracted from these visions of incompetent torturers by movement seen out of the corner of her eye. Turning her head slightly Willow saw Ming himself approach her comfy torture table. He'd probably come to gloat, he looked like a gloater. One of the good things about gloaters, apart from their gloating giving you time to escape, was that they usually gave you a full rundown of their evil plans. They just couldn't help themselves, it was in their nature and Willow intended to take full advantage of it. Striding across the room, Ming came to a halt next to the table where Willow lay, he smiled. Willow smiled back and even tried a friendly, 'Hi'. This seemed to confuse Ming, so Willow tried something else, she writhed a little in her bonds and groaned.

“Oh no, oh no,” Willow moaned unconvincingly (she really wasn't very good at the play acting, because when Kennedy tied her up she didn't need to fake it), “Please stop I can't take any more!”

Checking Ming's expression, Willow saw that he had the typical 'gloaters' smile on his face, she relaxed and lay back waiting for Ming to tell her all his secrets, he didn't disappoint her.

“Every thousand years,” Ming began as he sat down upon the edge of Willow's table, “I test each life system in the universe...”

Willow frowned at this piece of intelligence. Being who she was she knew this was impossible. There were uncounted billions of stars in the universe, even if there were only a tiny fraction of one percent of stars with a habitable planet orbiting it, it would still take forever to visit each one. Obviously if what Ming was saying was true (and gloaters rarely lied) the reality she was in now must be outside her own.

“I visit it with mysteries,” Ming continued, “earthquakes, unpredicted eclipses, strange craters in the wilderness...”

Strange craters in the wilderness...like ones shaped like Mickey Mouse? Willow was about to ask Ming to explain that one but she didn't get the chance.

“...if these are taken as natural I judge that system ignorant and harmless, I spare it,” Ming paused for a moment; Willow thought he must be coming to the fun part of his little speech, “But if the hand of Ming is recognised, then I judge that system dangerous to us and...” 

Willow half expected an outburst of diabolical laughter at this point, but Ming surprised her by keeping his maniacal laughter to himself.

“...I call upon the great god...Dizan...” Ming explain.

Lying there Willow rolled her eyes, another religious fanatic, just lately the Slayer Organisation seemed to be being attacked by religious nutters more than it ever had been in the past.

“...and for his greater glory...”

Willow noted that while she wasn't getting much out of the entire 'torture experience' Ming was; he was breathing heavily and almost drooling over her.

“...and our MUTUAL PLEASURE, MAW-HA-HA!”

Willow felt vindicated at Ming's outburst of diabolical/maniacal laughter.

“I destroy it utterly...”

“Okay,” Willow said slowly as she waited for Ming to get control of himself once more, “So, you're trying to tell me that its all my fault that Earth's being destroyed, right?”

“Correct,” Ming smiled down at her (evilly).

Sighing heavily, Willow wondered who this guy had learnt his technique from. Here he had an attractive (Willow had realised that she was actually sexually attractive some time ago, guys and galls were always checking her out), anyway, here he had her at his mercy and he'd not even groped her. It was enough to make a girl question her sexiness. All Ming seemed to be able to do was to try and unload some sort of guilt trip on her. After living together for nearly four years some of Kennedy's self confidence had rubbed off on her. For a moment Willow smiled as she pictured Kennedy rubbing off on her. Blinking rapidly and shaking her head to get the sexual fantasies out of her mind, Willow got back to the job in hand.

“That's such a crock,” Willow almost laughed in Ming's face, “Ha!” there, she'd laughed, “Look buster it wasn't me who sat there at their evil control panel or whatever causing all this crap to rain down on Earth, it was you buster, so, don't try to lay the blame on me, I've got enough monkeys on my back without you trying to lay more on me and if you can't deal with the consequences of your own actions maybe you should 'seek help' y'know? So, grow up and stop being such a doofus!”

For a moment Ming seemed a little taken aback by Willow's outburst, however he soon recovered.

“Precisely, Doctor,” Ming replied as he stood up and turned to leave, apparently stung by Willow stinging rebuke, “I thought it might amuse you to know this...”

“Yeah, ha-ha, very funny,” Willow replied unimpressed.

“...before your mind is gone...Maw-ha-ha!” Ming turned to a minion, before walking away, “Proceed with her.”

Was it just her, Willow asked herself, or had Ming's maniacal laughter not been quite as 'maniacal' as before. Whatever, what was this 'mind is gone' gig? Perhaps, thought Willow hopefully, the real torture and sexual humiliation would start soon.

The guy in the gold mask called Klytus took Ming's place at Willow's table side as an overly large machine hummed into place above her. Willow studied the machine quickly as it slid into position. It was big, too big, it had a blue glowy ball at the far end, a big cylindrical section in the middle and a long tapering point that came to rest pointing at her head. There were also the usual collection of flashing lights and weird protuberances which didn't appear to have any real function. Lying under the machine Willow couldn't help thinking that this 'dread machine' was just an extension of Ming's penis because he probably didn't have a big one. A horrible thought struck her at that moment; could all this be happening because Ming only had a small penis and was generally sexually inadequate?

“What are you doing to me?” Willow asked out of perfectly natural curiosity; she wasn't frightened she hadn't even used any magic yet, but that looked as if it was about to change.

“Oh, we're just emptying your mind,” Klytus explained in his usual bored sounding voice.

“Huh?” Willow asked.

“We are going to empty your memory,” announced a woman in a black and gold uniform who'd joined Klytus at the table, “as we would empty your pockets.”

“But I haven't got any pockets,” Willow cried out not wishing to disappoint anyone, “No!” Willow cried as she struggled unconvincingly against her bonds (these guys were so gullible), “Don't do that....pleeeeez! My mind is all I have...couldn't you just whip me or something, maybe tie these restraints a little tighter, huh? Please?”

The woman in the black uniform frowned at Willow for a moment.

“Begin,” ordered Klytus and a blue beam issued from the machine to touch Willow on the forehead. Willow felt nothing, she didn't feel her mind being emptied or anything; the beam wasn't even warm against her skin. However, by the way Klytus and the woman were looking up at a blank view screen they evidently were expecting something to happen. It seemed logical that these aliens had some way of viewing her memories as they drained them from her mind, so she'd better give them a show or they'd think something was wrong. Thinking quickly, Willow came to the conclusion that she could tell the truth; with all the magic and the monsters and the trying to destroy the world...OR...she could give them a version of what her life might have been like without all the, magic and monsters and the trying to destroy the world...and all the sex...

“Oh by the gods,” General Kala (the woman in the black uniform) gasped as she watched Willow's life pass by on the big screen, “How utterly boring!”

“Yes,” agreed Klytus, “one does wonder how she managed to stop herself slitting her own wrists and bringing this miserable existence to an end.”

The two evil hench persons watched for a while longer as the Willow on the screen studied for yet another test.

“When this...” for a moment words failed Klytus, but not for long, “...torture is over...” he glanced at the screen to see a small Willow neatly put away all her educational toys in their proper places, “...reprogram her, but nothing above level three, understand?”

“Level three,” Kala repeated with a curt nod.

Sweeping out of the room, Klytus left Willow to General Kala's tender mercies. Watching Klytus leave, Kala smiled to herself, she had her own plans for 'Agent Rosenberg'. Smiling evilly (which was the only way people smiled in Ming's palace) Kala turned to one of her own loyal minions.

“When her mind is empty,” Kala instructed, “reprogram her to level five, understand?”

“Of course General,” the minion said as he sprang to attention and watched as his general left the chamber.

0=0=0=0

**One of Ming's Bedchamber’s.**

Sitting in the middle of the large, round, bed, Dawn found herself surrounded by half-a-dozen of Ming's 'handmaidens' who had been trying to pamper her. However, Dawn was in no mood to be pampered; her girlfriend, her one true love in all the world was dead, executed by the very man she was supposed to open her legs for...just how twisted were these assholes? Did this Ming character really expect her to give it up without a fight? Dawn's eyes drifted down to rest on her new gown, however, on the plus side, she did seem to have a lot of really cool, sexy outfits now. The one she was wearing at the moment was white silk or something similar; every time she moved the material slid across her skin and she had to force herself not to orgasm there and then!

A servant girl in a green outfit took that exact moment to walk into the room as Dawn fought to stop herself becoming overly sexually excited. The new girl carried a tray with a goblet and a carafe of some green liquid on it, she came to sit on the bed next to Dawn.

“Drink this,” the girl placed the tray on the bed in front of Dawn.

“What is it?” Dawn asked suspiciously; the girl looked at the carafe seemingly puzzled by Dawn's question.

“It's green,” she shrugged before adding, “many brave men died to get it from the galaxy of pleasure...”

“There's a galaxy of pleasure?” Dawn asked, her recent troubles forgotten for a moment.

“What?” the girl frowned once again confused by Dawn's question, however she soon got back on script, “It'll make your nights with Ming more...” the girl smiled seductively as she poured some of the green liquid into the goblet, “...agreeable.”

“Great!” Dawn threw up her hands almost knocking the goblet from the slave girl's hands, “This Ming pervert is such a loser that he has to drug girls to get them to sleep with him!?”

“No he doesn't!” replied the slave girl defensively.

“Then what do you call this,” Dawn gestured to the glass in the girl's had.

“Erm...” the girl didn't know how to reply and repeated her earlier answer, “...it's green?”

“Whatever...” Dawn sighed, “...will it make me forget?”

“No,” the girl shook her head, “but you won't mind remembering.”

“Yeah, like that's gonna happen!” Dawn took the goblet from the girl and drank the contents in one go; it didn't really taste of very much other than 'green'; it also seemed to have a low alcohol content as it had no 'bite' to it. “Leave the bottle and get out,” Dawn ordered, she turned to include the other girls in the room, “all of you get out!!”

Frightened by Dawn's angry tone the girls scurried from the room leaving Dawn alone with her new green friend. Taking another sip, Dawn grimaced, this stuff was really bland as well as having no 'kick'. Looking around she saw a potted palm, crawling across the bed she emptied the green stuff into the plant pot before going back to sit in the middle of the bed. What was she going to do? Any minute now, Ming the Merciless, Murdering, Moron was going to come into the room and expect her to lie back and let him use her.

Well, he had another thing coming if he expected Dawn Summers to just roll over and take it, Dawn giggled thinking that her last thought had been slightly inappropriate under the circumstances. The truth was that Dawn had _never_ had sex with a guy. Yes, okay she'd done some pretty heavy petting with that vamp boy on Halloween back in Sunnydale. Plus there'd been one or two guys since she'd come to England, but, Buffy had always scared them off before anything interesting happened.

“OH!” Dawn cried as she remembered something.

There had been Santa Clause that Christmas, he'd come down the chimney and 'molested' her (she'd never really quite got around to telling Buffy the truth about that episode), although at the time she'd not been too upset so she wondered if that really counted. Okay, her entire sexual experience consisted of one time with a Most Immoral Santa, a few quick fumbles and a little mutual masturbation in cars with vamp-boys and a lot of girl on girl action with Faith. Did she really want to add the self-styled Ruler of the Universe to her list of conquests? She'd seen his type before, he probably only had a small penis. Just as she was thinking about all the phallic symbols she'd seen since she'd arrived, another girl with a full bottle of 'green' timidly entered the room. A plan suddenly formed in Dawn's mind as she spotted the girl.

“Hey,” Dawn smiled, “don't be frightened, come and sit on the bed,” 

Patting the bed next to her, Dawn watched as the girl approached.

“Here sit down,” Dawn invited, “I hate to drink alone,” she picked up her goblet and filled it with 'green' and offered it to the girl.”Wouldn't you like a taste?”

Dawn had reasoned that while the 'green' had little or no effect on her, it must have some effect on the locals.

“Oh no,” cried the girl, “it's forbidden for us slaves.”

“Oh come on honey,” Dawn waved the glass under the girls nose, “live a little, we're all girls here,” Dawn smiled like the cat who's caught the canary, “I won't tell...”

0=0=0=0


	6. Chapter 6

6.

**Ming's Secret Police Headquarters.**

Standing at a rigid attention in front of the mind draining/reprogramming machine, Willow fought to keep the smile off her face. After having her mind 'emptied', Willow had allowed the bad guys to fill her head with information concerning the palace's systems, she now knew all its strengths and weaknesses. She'd also seen inside Klytus' secret files and discovered that Faith was, in all probability, alive. Telling herself that she must find Dawn to give her the good news (Dawnie must be devastated thinking her girlfriend was dead), Willow started to plan her escape. However the two jokers in front of her seemed intent on checking to see that their reprogramming had succeeded.

“What is your name?” demanded the gold-faced 'man' Klytus.

“Willow Rosenberg...” realising she'd made a slip-up, Willow corrected herself, “...no...Agent Rosenberg,” she continued, “number 2133 of the Imperial Anti-Insurgent Espionage Group...HAIL MING!”

The Klytus creature glanced at the woman referred to as General Kala, Willow couldn't read Klytus' expression (him having an unmoving metal face) but the Kala woman didn't look as if she was about to have her executed on the spot, so Willow assumed that she'd passed the test...these people were so stupid!

“Good,” Klytus announced with a slight shrug before he and Kala walked away leaving Willow with nothing to do other than plot their downfall.

0=0=0=0

**A Rocket Ship near Arbouria.**

This wasn't like Star Trek, Faith decided, in fact it wasn't like anything she'd seen or read about. One of the good things about being a librarian, particularly for a young woman who was trying to improve herself, was that libraries were full of books, and these books were full of knowledge. Now Faith was no expert, but, she was fairly sure that what she was seeing on the other side of the rocket ship's canopy was impossible.

First; there seemed to be a breathable atmosphere outside the ship, the little ship she was flying responded to the controls more like an aircraft than she imagined a space craft would. The ship wasn't sealed and there were air intakes to help make the engines work so chances were it wasn't actually a 'rocket' she was piloting but some kind of jet.

Secondly; there appeared to be gravity and zero-gravity all at the same time, which was of course impossible. While there was a definite up and down there were also huge chunks of rock floating in mid air without any visible means of support. These 'chunks of rock', Aura had referred to as 'moons' which were populated by the various different races all of whom were under Ming's thumb. True these lumps of rock where big and Faith could easily imagine them having populations, but they weren't big enough for 'moons'. Most of these so called moons weren't much bigger than Middlesbrough and its surrounding areas.

Looking down to the deck where Princess Aura slept the sleep of the recently rendered unconscious, Faith shook her head in something approaching disgust. The bitch thought she could seduce her and make her forget Dawn, like that was ever going to happen, Faith chuckled, but not evilly. 

When they'd boarded the rocket ship, Aura had taken the controls, but once they were away from the city she'd shown Faith how to control the craft, it was pretty easy actually. There was one control that controlled up and down, another that did left and right and a third that increased or decreased speed. Apart for some other levers and buttons that controlled the undercarriage and starting and stopping the engines there wasn't much to flying this machine and Faith had become quite proficient in about five minutes.

Princess Aura, however, had been another matter all together, she'd been all over Faith like a rash as she tried to kiss her and get into her pants in general. After warning the stupid little bitch off a couple of times, Faith had eventually lost it and knocked her out. At first, she'd considered throwing the slut out of the rocket ship to see if she fell or just floated there. But, Faith had thought better of the idea. Before going to 'sleep', Aura had explained that they were heading towards this place called Arbouria where the little whore claimed there were people who would help her against Ming.

Realising that she might need the girl, Faith had refrained for tossing her off the ship, she might be needed and anyway she could kill her later if the need arose. After all the 'We don't kill humans' rule had recently been downgraded to a 'guideline' and so far, apart from herself, Dawn and Willow, Faith hadn't seen anyone she'd like to describe as 'human'.

Hearing Aura groan, Faith turned to see the so-called Princess (Princess Slut more like, Faith sniggered) start to wake up. This was good because it looked like they were nearing the end of their journey as what could only be Arbouria hung in the sky before them. It looked like someone had taken a large round lump of rock (by 'large' Faith really meant _HUGE_!). Cut it in half along its equator and scooped out the insides to leave something like a massive bowl surrounded by tall spiky mountains. For a moment Faith wondered what would happen if you climbed those mountains; would you touch the sky or would you simply fall off?

Pushing these thoughts to one side for a moment, Faith looked into the bowl as it opened out below her. It was like a great crater about twenty miles across, it was very difficult to judge scale but the entire thing gave off a feeling of _BIG_! Turning again to look at Aura, Faith saw the girl was sitting up and rubbing the back of her head where Faith had hit her.

“Hey, bitch,” Faith snapped sharply, “get ya scanky ass up here and show me where I can land this thing!”

0=0=0=0

**Ming's Palace.**

Now dressed in the slave girl's outfit (which was much more revealing than the concubine's outfit she'd been wearing), Dawn sneaked down a long corridor on bare feet (she held the high heeled sandals that came with the outfit in her hand). Dodging into an alcove she managed to avoid being seen by two slave girls who were walking down the corridor towards her. Hiding in the alcove until the girls had passed by, Dawn realised she needed a plan, she couldn't wonder aimlessly around the palace forever. Once Ming found out she wasn't in his bedchamber he'd have his guards look for her, so, it seemed to Dawn that the best thing to do was; get out of the palace. Find her way back to the portal, go home and bring back reinforcements and kick Ming's ass.

Peeping into the corridor again, Dawn saw that it was once again clear. Stepping out of her hiding place she continued to look for a way out or possibly a big door with a sign saying 'exit'. Didn't this Ming pervert have any fire exits for god's sake?

Moving as fast as she dared, Dawn almost collided with one of the red robed, pig-faced guards. Luckily she heard him coming so she concealed herself behind a heavy partition that hid the entrance to the corridor from the large hall way it entered. Stepping around the partition, Dawn managed to avoid being seen. A thought suddenly hit her, those pig-faced guys probably couldn't see much out of their masks, so...

“Hey!” Dawn called out bringing the guard to a halt.

As the guard turned to see who'd called him, Dawn ducked out of sight again. Seeing nothing the guard turned to go about his business. By now Dawn had sneaked up to where the guard stood just the other side of the partition. As the guard turned, Dawn kicked out at his legs. Too late she remembered she wasn't wearing boots or shoes. 

“Ow-ow-ow!” Dawn cried out as he foot made contact with the guard's knee.

Luckily the guard had been taken completely by surprise and didn't have time to unsling his rifle-like weapon as Dawn hopped in and kneed him in the crotch. Doubling over in agony, the guard got hit on the back of his head by Dawn's small fists. Grabbing the guard's weapon, Dawn used it as a club to hit the guard over the head once again. Swinging the gun with all her strength, Dawn caved in the guards skull. The guard fell to the floor as his blood slowly leaked from under his mask to form a pool on the floor, Dawn once again took cover behind the partition so she had time to study the weapon in her hands.

Using the gun as a club didn't seem to have done it any harm, Dawn used her hand to wipe off some of the guard's blood as she checked it out. There was a fairly standard looking pistol grip and trigger, another switch which had to be the safety catch, which Dawn pushed to its other setting, she guessed that the guards would walk around the palace with their weapons on 'safe'. Taking the weapon in both hands so she could fire it, Dawn walked out from behind the partition and was immediately spotted by another guard.

Snap firing, Dawn saw her bright green beam of energy impact the wall just above the new guard's head. Dodging back into cover, Dawn flinched as an explosion erupted against the partition. These guys were obviously better shots than she was. Running to the other end of the partition, Dawn fired around the corner hitting the guard in the chest. 

“'Ere, what's all this then!?” the guard squealed like a pig before collapsing onto the floor, dead as a very dead thing. 

Deciding that 'here' wasn't the place to be just now, Dawn once again made a break for freedom only to find two more guards blocking her way. Luckily these two guards appeared to panic at her approach and fired wildly across the hall missing her by several yards. Tucking and rolling, Dawn bounced back to her feet right in front of the guards, she shot both of them in the chest at point-blank-range.

Standing over her victims, Dawn was just congratulating herself on how well she'd learnt the lessons Faith had taught her when yet another guard suddenly appeared from a hidden corridor. Not having time to bring the gun to bear and shoot, Dawn instead swung the weapon as hard as she could hitting the guard on the end of his snout. Squealing loudly the guard went to his knees as he clutched at his nose. Lifting the weapon once more, Dawn brought it down on the guard's head not only with enough force to cave in his skull but also to break the ray-gun.

“Damn it!” Dawn cursed as she held the bent weapon in her hands for a second before casting it aside and running off down a corridor chosen at random.

0=0=0=0

**Secret Police HQ.**

Watching the live feed on the big screen, General Kala smiled as the Earth girl defeated the Emperor's pig-faced guards. She could have directed more guards to the sector where the girl was and recapture her. But, then she'd only have to send the girl back to Emperor Ming who'd use and abuse her until she was good for nothing and would have to be put down. No, General Kala thought, this girl looked too good for use as a mere sexual plaything for the Emperor. Perhaps if the girl was allowed to 'escape' she might lead the police to the disloyal factions who even now plotted the downfall of the Emperor.

“Activate Agent Rosenberg,” Kala told one of her black uniformed minions, “direct her to where this girl now is and then let them 'escape' from the palace.”

Kala smiled evilly (just like it said she should in all the training manuals) as her minions rushed to do her bidding. Perhaps once she'd crushed the rebels the Emperor would give her Klytus' job and then _she_ would be the trusted lieutenant. Once she was promoted to 'trusted lieutenant', it would be an easy step to promote herself to the position of...Empress!

“MAW-HA-HA!” Kala tried out her maniacal laugh.

Unseen by the General, one of her minion's pressed a button and spoke into a microphone.

“Yes?” Came Klytus' voice in the minion's ear bug.

0=0=0=0

Deep under the Secret Police's headquarters, Willow heard a buzzing sound followed by the instruction that 'Agent Rosenberg' was to proceed to 'sector thirteen' where she was to intercept the Earthling, Dawn Summers. Hiding her secret joy at how clever she was and how totally stupid the bad guys were, Willow headed out through the door of her 'cell' and on towards sector thirteen. Willow now had a plan, she'd find Dawn then she'd use a locator spell to find Faith. Once they were all back together again they'd come back to the palace, whip Ming's ass and be home in time for tea and crumpets!

0=0=0=0

**Sector Thirteen.**

Pausing to catch her breath, Dawn slipped on her shoes and wondered which way she should go. At the moment she was standing at the junction of four corridors all of which looked exactly the same. Just how the hell was anyone supposed to escape from this place, she asked herself. Choosing a corridor at random, Dawn headed off determined to find a way out of the maze that was Ming's palace.

Not having gone more than a few yards the sound of footsteps came from around the corner in front of her, Dawn skidded to a halt. Looking behind her she saw that she'd never get back to the junction before the footsteps came around the corner. Kicking off her shoes, Dawn made ready to sell her life dearly. Standing on the balls of her feet with her fists up, she saw the figure come around the corner. It wore a bright red tunic and black pants with matching jackboots. The minion of Ming had red hair and...

“WILLOW!” Dawn screamed with joy as she rushed to greet her old friend.

“Dawnie!” Willow cried as she exchanged hugs with Dawn, all the while thinking how sexy Dawn looked in her outfit and how she shouldn't be thinking of Dawn in 'that' way and how she wished Kennedy was there to give her a good spanking for being such a naughty witch!

Taking a deep mental breath, Willow disentangled herself from the scantily clad and overexcited girl.

“Dawn!” Willow called as she finally got the girls attention, “Don't say anything,” she whispered, “just follow me, we've gotta get outta here!”

0=0=0=0


	7. Chapter 7

7.

**Arbouria.**

After landing the rocket ship (if Faith was truthful with herself it was more like a controlled crash than a proper landing) in the top of one of the moon's huge trees, Faith grabbed Prince Aura and dragged her from the ship. Princess 'Bitch' whined and complained as Faith put her in an arm lock and pushed her along a walkway leading deeper in the branches of the tree they'd landed in.

Arbouria appeared to be made up almost entirely of trees, massive, tall, leafy trees that towered hundreds of feet into the air. The trees were so big they actually supported the local 'Treeman' population, Faith could see walkways and platforms in the branches all around her, she could also see where parts of trunks had been hollowed out to form living quarters. This could all have been pretty idyllic apart from one thing. Looking over the edge of one of the walkways, Faith sniffed and wrinkled her nose, the place stank. While the trees had their uppermost branches almost in the clouds, their roots were sunk into what looked (and smelt) like a huge swamp. 

Somewhere, far below the walkway Faith was standing on, was an enormous, fetid swampland. Foul smelling gasses bubbled from the bog below to float up through the trees and give the air an unpleasant, rotten egg smell, mixed in with the odour that blocked drains gave off on a hot day...and then there were the sounds.

Listening carefully, Faith could hear the gentle bubbling of the swamp below. Over this were the high pitched calls of unseen birds or at least Faith assumed they were birds she'd not actually seen any. But, if she listened very carefully and ignored all the whistling and hooting made by the birds, she could hear something else. Some thing that sounded far more sinister. The noises she could hear were no doubt being made by the sort of creature with long sharp claws and even longer sharper teeth. The sort of creature that would happily snack on a hot slayer if she wasn't being careful. Pushing, Aura along the walk way in front of her, Faith pulled the girl to a halt when she heard a rhythmic chanting coming from deeper within the leaf cover.

“What's that?” Faith demanded as she twisted Aura's arm a little further up her back.

“Ow! You're hurting me!” Aura complained, but, from her tone of voice it didn't sound as if Aura minded being hurt.

“I'll freaking twist ya arm right off if ya don't tell me what that chanting is,” Faith was in no mood to play games; she wanted to get back to Ming's palace and rescue Dawn and Willow.

After that they'd go back to the portal, whistle up some of the local slayers, come back in force and kick some very badly dressed butt!

“We're near the treeman's sacred temple,” Aura explained as she writhed seductively against Faith's body, “a young man is being initiated...we must hide outside till its done.”

“Why?” Faith wanted to know.

“Because...” Aura sounded reluctant to say anything more.

“Because?” Faith twisted the girl's arm making her cry out in pain and pleasure.

“Because if we enter the temple during the ceremony,” Aura gasped, “we will be forced to complete the ceremony too!”

“Oh yeah?” Faith kept a tight hold on the Princess while she moved herself into a position where she could see what was going on in the 'temple'. The temple was actually a large, covered platform half way up the trunk of a huge tree. Inside where a dozen or so green clad warrior types all hitting an old tree trunk with sticks as they chanted some meaningless drivel. There standing to one side of the trunk was a long haired priest in robes that looked as if they'd been made out of leaves. Next to him stood Prince Barin his arms crossed over his muscular chest.

“Prick,” Faith muttered under her breath as she watched a young man walk up to the old tree trunk.

The priest said something to the young man who was obviously the initiate. Even from where Faith was standing she could see the apprehension on the young guy's face as he walked around the tree trunk. Eventually he thrust his arm into a hole in the trunk and held it there for several long seconds before he screamed and pulled his arm from the hole. Clutching his arm, the young man turned to Barin and said something where upon Barin drew his sword and thrust it through the young guys chest.

“Oh, man!” Faith groaned in disgust.

Sure, they had initiations for the younger slayers, but none of the girls ever died from it; a live slayer was a hell of a lot more useful to the world than a dead one. Plus there was that thing about killing your own people to prove a point being wrong.

“It's all right now,” Aura announced, “the ceremony is over.”

Once more pushing the girl ahead of her, Faith walked towards the temple as the warriors disposed of the body and trainee priests mopped up the blood.

“YOU CAME!” cried Barin as he caught sight of Aura and ran towards her; Faith quickly let go of the girl's arm and stood back a little so she was less conspicuous.

“I do sometimes keep my promises,” Aura opened her arms as Barin rushed into them.

In the shadows, Faith sneered with contempt, couldn't this guy see that the little bitch was playing with him? Obviously not because he looked _really_ pleased to see her.

“Prepare a feast!” Barin called once he'd finished dry humping on Aura's body.

“Not for me,” Aura sighed temptingly, “I have to get back to my father's palace before I'm missed.”

“Get back right away,” Barin frowned, “then why did you come?”

“I brought you a present,” Aura smiled as she played with the hair at the back of Barin's head.

“Okay,” Faith breathed softly as she stepped out into the light, “sounds like my cue.”

On seeing Faith, Barin pushed Aura away from him and went for his sword.

“You!” Barin snapped struggling to control his surprise, “Welcome back from the grave.” Barin turned to face Aura, “I knew you were up to something but I have to confess I hadn't thought it was necrophilia!”  
“Necrophilia? Now that's dead boring,” Faith sniggered.

Barin turned away from Aura and started to walk towards the temple again.

“Nooo!” Aura started to chase after Barin, “All I want you to do is keep her for me until after my father has screwed Dawn Summers.”

“Hey!” Faith complained, just before everything seemed to go to 'rat-shit' very quickly.

“Take her!” Barin called pointing at Faith.

At the Princes' order a dozen or so guards appeared and moved in on Faith. There was a flurry of movement and ten seconds later Faith was surrounded by a neat circle of dead or unconscious guards.

“I'm not your enemy, Barin,” Faith called, “Ming is. Why don't we all get together and kick his scanky ass!”

“Why would I want to kick his donkey?” Barin asked confused, before calling for more guards, “GUARDS! GUARDS!”

“No Barin I forbid it!” Aura cried unexpectedly, “If you harm Faith you'll never screw me again!”

“Bitch!” Barin and Faith chorused as they both turned towards Aura.

“Ooooooh! This is _sooooo_ unfair!” Aura whined before running away down another walkway.

As the Princess left the new guards arrived, Faith dealt with these reinforcements in new and unusual ways. Very soon Faith and Barin were the only people on their feet in the temple.

“Come on asshole,” Faith sighed heavily, “this is getting old, man. Can't ya see that Queen Bitch there is using you?”

Declining to answer, Barin opened his mouth to call for yet more guards. However, thinking that this Earth woman was a formidable warrior and his supply of guards wasn't infinite, he tried to come up with a different plan.

“Ah-HA!” Barin laughed, he'd come up with a new plan, “You're in the temple, any off-worlder found in the temple must perform the treeman initiation ceremony!”

“Oh get real, Barin,” Faith was getting a little fed up with the Prince, “I'm a woman, women don't have to do male initiation ceremonies,” Faith had spent a week reorganising the anthropology section of the library where she worked, a lot of that time had been spent reading not reorganising. “And look, how many do you lose doing this stupid ceremony anyway? I bet its a good few guys, ever thought you need to rethink this crap?”

Barin didn't know what to say, no one had ever spoken to him like this before.

“If ya didn't keep killing off ya own warriors maybe you'd have enough men to fight Ming?” Faith pointed out.

“But...” Barin was just about to point out that this was how things had always been done, but then he realised that the Earthling had a point. About a third of the initiates were killed during the ceremony for no good reason. Sticking your arm into the tree trunk and seeing whether the 'God of the Trees' stung you proved nothing other that the initiate was lucky or too stupid to see how dangerous it was. Realising the Earth woman had a point, Barin opened his mouth to speak but instead found himself being lifted off his feet.

“Too slow, sucker!” Faith laughed as she picked Barin up and moved towards the edge of the platform.

“WHAT...!” Barin gasped as he attempted to fight free of Faith's hold, “You can't do this!” Barin complained, “I'm the Prince of Arbouria I demand that you put me DOWWWWWWWWWWWN!”

Faith looked over the edge of the platform as Prince Barin's cry got fainter and fainter as he plummeted towards the swamp beneath the trees. Hearing a faint splash, Faith smiled as she moved away from the edge of the platform.

“Time to go,” Faith told herself as she started to climb down from the temple.

0=0=0=0

**A Rocket Cycle near Ming's Palace.**

“How did you escape?” Dawn called as she piloted the rocket cycle away from the palace; the machine was like a Jet ski but it flew instead of floated.

“It was easy,” Willow replied, “They didn't realise that their machine wouldn't drain my mind like it would someone from Mongo.”

“But you still got all this useful information downloaded into your head,” Dawn pointed out as she steered the cycle between the clouds.

They were trying to find the portal so they could get Buffy and any other slayers who happened to be standing around at Slayer central. They'd load themselves up with weapons and come back and deal with Ming and his minions. If Ming had actually killed Faith his life wasn't worth spit!

“Yep,” Willow smiled, “my head's full of useful factoids about Ming and Mongo.”

“Hey, weren't they two characters on a kid's TV show?” Dawn asked still scanning for the portal.

“Who?” Dawn's question had distracted Willow as she was casting a locator spell for the portal.

“Ming and Mongo,” Dawn replied, “I'm sure they...” Dawn caught movement out of the corner of her eye, “...AAAAGH!” she screamed, “GIANT BIRDS!”

But it wasn't giant birds it was a Hawkman hunting party. They swooped down on Dawn and Willow; before Dawn could take evasive action or Willow could cast a spell the Hawkmen had grabbed the Earth women and pulled them from their cycle.

“DON'T DROP ME!” Willow cried, forgetting that she could have cast a levitation spell.

But, there was no fear of the Hawkmen dropping them. Quickly the bird men strapped Dawn and Willow into a harness before carrying there captives back to the Hawkman city.

0=0=0=0

**Meanwhile, back on Arbouria.**

Muttering foul oaths, Prince Barin pulled himself from the stinking water of the swamp and sat down on a tree root. He'd fallen when the Earth warrior had tossed him over the edge of the temple platform like he was a toy. The thought did occur to him that if all Earth warriors were as formidable (and sexy) as Faith, Ming would be wise to steer clear of this Earth planet.

Pulling bits of rotting vegetable matter from his hair and clothing, Barin noticed that he'd lost his sword. This was a pity because it meant that he had nothing to fight the Hawkmen raiders when they landed on the tree roots all around him. For the second time that day, strong hands reached for him and picked him up off his feet.

0=0=0=0

**A Different Part of the Arbourian Swamp.**

Having climbed down from the temple platform, Faith had come face to face with one of Arbouria's larger denizens. However, for all its teeth and claws the monster was no match for Faith. After she'd defeated the creature she dusted off her hands and walked off into the swamp. Having thought that this piece of Arbouria would take her weight, she was most surprised to find that it didn't. Rapidly sinking up to her neck in the primordial ooze; Faith was the only person that day who was actually pleased to see the Hawkmen when they arrived. Being captured was way better than being dead.

0=0=0=0

**Some hours later at Ming's palace.**

Tied to a hard, cold marble table, Princess Aura cried out in...well, it could have been in pain, but it was more likely to have been pleasure, as General Kala used a whip on the girl's back.

“Your lover Barin, is harbouring Lehane in Arbouria, is he not?” Klytus wanted to know.

“NO!” Aura cried only to have Kala hit her with the whip again.

“This lying is such a waist of time!” Klytus snapped angrily.

“You left with a pilot and returned alone,” General Kala snapped, “was it Lehane in disguise wasn't it?”

“NO!” Aura cried hopping to feel the whip across her back once again; Kala didn't disappoint her.

“Who are you protecting?” Klytus wanted to know, he lifted Aura's head from the table by her hair, “The doctor who revived Lehane from her tomb?”

“Your jealousy of me has made you mad!” Aura cried, but Klytus wasn't listening to her.

“Seize the doctor on suspicion of treason,” Klytus told an underling.

“NO!” Wailed Aura without even being hit again.

“Prepare the torture!” Klytus ordered another couple of minions who were just standing around doing nothing.

“Confess,” Kala said sweetly, “and we won't hurt you any more,” failing to notice the worried look on Aura's face she continued saying, “we don't enjoy doing this at all...”

“NEVER!” Aura cried defiantly.

Kala raised her arm to ply the whip once again, but she was stopped by Klytus before she could do anything, Aura groaned in disappointment. 

“NO!” called Klytus seeing what was happening here, “bring the...BORE WORMS, MAW-HA-HA!”

“NOOO!” Cried Aura with genuine fear in her voice, “Not the bore worms they're so...” words failed her for a moment, “...they're so...so, boring!”

“Yes,” laughed Klytus evilly, “after they've read you all twenty-seven volumes of the Health and Safety Act as it pertains to Evil Empires you'll be begging to tell us everything you know...MAW-HA-HA!”

0=0=0=0


	8. Chapter 8

8.

**Ming's Palace.**

Studying the piece of paper in his hand, Ming walked slowly towards where Klytus stood waiting for his master's praise.

“Nice confession,” Ming nodded as he read to the end of the document, “you are to be commended...pity about all the blood however.”

Handing the confession back to Klytus, Ming started to walk away across the interrogation chamber.

“Execute her?” Klytus asked.

“Oooh,” Ming paused and turned to look at Klytus, “too kind. Aura will be banished to Fridgia the day after my wedding,” the evil emperor replied, “one year in a cavern of ice will cool her blood.” Ming continued his progress towards the doors at the far end of the chamber, “And then...” Ming paused again once more turning to look at Klytus, “...who knows? Maybe I'll marry her off to someone worthy of her treacherous nature...”

“Your Majesty,” Klytus simpered, “how can I express my gratitude?”

“Easily, Klytus,” Ming chuckled evilly, “get me Lehane and Barin...MAW-HA-HA!”

“With pleasure...MAW-HA-HA!” Klytus laughed evilly in reply.

0=0=0=0

**The Hawkman City.**

The Hawkmen who had captured Dawn and Willow had flown them to the Hawkman city. The city was an impossibly big structure that floated on thin air only held up by the force of massive jets that fired from the underside of the structure. Catching sight of the city for the first time, Willow couldn't help think that the system was ecologically unsustainable. The fuel costs alone would be astronomical; plus what would happen if one of the jets were to fail and the entire edifice were to fall to the... Willow looked down to where the ground should be and found that it wasn't. Shaking her head Willow decided that Mongo was one weird place.

Being towed between the towers and spires of the flying city, the two Earth women saw they were heading to what looked like a big landing pad. Deposited surprisingly gently, Dawn and Willow were only given a couple of moments to take in their surrounding before more winged guards appeared and started to hustle them through the city towards who knew where.

Eventually the mystery was solved when the guards brought them out into a crowed audience chamber. The large, tall room was decorated in silver...silver wall hangings, silver furniture, silver walls, floors and ceiling. Dawn couldn't help feeling that these people could do with a good interior designer. Talking of people, the room was full of Hawkmen and women. The guys all seemed to be dressed in leather swimming trunks and harness' while the women wore colourful long flowing dresses. About two thirds of the Hawk-people wore wings on their back giving Willow and Dawn the first inkling that the wings were some kind of technology and not a natural adaptation.

Brought up in front of a throne-like chair in the middle of the chamber, Dawn looked up to see the Hawkman she remembered being called Prince Vultan. Plastering a friendly smile onto her face Dawn wondered if she could get this guy on their side, he hadn't seemed to like Ming (very few people did she was starting to learn) so he could be an ally.

“Hey, Vultan!” Dawn cried happily, “Remember us?” 

“Indeed I do,” Vultan stood up from his throne and advanced on Dawn all smiles; for just a moment Dawn was worried that the big, loud, winged, Prince might want to make her a concubine too, but she needn't have worried. “CALL THE EMPEROR!” Vultan shouted as he lifted Dawn by the waist and deposited her on a table, “Tell him I have prisoners for him!”

“Why you...” Dawn was lost for words at the complicity of these people.

“Are you mad Vultan?” Willow asked the prince sharply causing him to stop laughing for a moment, “You hate Ming,” she knew this because it was in the security files that had been downloaded into her head. “I know you're only waiting for the right moment to attack him...”

Klytus' security services were pretty efficient, Willow considered, it seemed like there were Imperial spies everywhere.

“YES!” Vultan roared, “And he knows that too...”

“Well, duh!” Willow rolled her eyes, “How d'you think I found out about it, wing-boy?”

“...so by giving him you I allay his suspicions,” Vultan smiled as he passed behind Dawn, goosing her as he passed.

“Ooooh!” Dawn cried out in surprise.

“I gain time,” Vultan continued as he once again took his seat upon his throne, “our weapons are inferior we need another year's preparation.”

Nodding her head knowingly, Willow saw it all now. These were just weasel words, Vultan and his feathered freaks (Willow had been going to use another word beginning with 'F', but she censored herself) would never be ready to strike at Ming and Ming knew this.

“Ming's not unbeatable,” Dawn called out as she rubbed the growing bruise on her butt, “with all his men he couldn't even kill Faith.”

“Lehane's alive!?” Vultan gasped in surprise.

“Yeah,” Willow agreed, “now is the time to strike!”

0=0=0=0

**An Imperial Warship near by.**

“Sir!” cried a bridge officer as he turned towards Klytus who was standing towards the rear of the bridge, “scanners show a Hawkman patrol, four-hundred Mongo-miles east of the Hawkman City” the officer paused before adding, “They have Lehane and Prince Barin.”

“What's our arrival time at Vultan's Erie?” Klytus demanded.

“Estimating sixteen Mongo-minutes,” the officer replied crisply.

“Good,” Klytus turned and stalked from the bridge, “call me before we arrive.”

0=0=0=0

**The Hawkman City.**

Hawkmen guards, pushed Faith and Prince Barin into the presence of Prince Vultan, the two prisoners were still slightly damp after their encounters with the Arbourian swamp. Stumbling to a halt in front of Vultan, Barin looked up at his fellow Prince in anger while Faith just wished she knew what the hell was going on.

“You'd sell us to Ming?” Barin wanted to know.

“Come on Barin,” Vultan chuckled loudly, “you expect mercy here?” the bearded Prince smiled happily at the Treeman, “What would you do if I was captive in your kingdom?”

“I'd remind you that under Ming's law,” Barin explained self-righteously, “that no Prince of Mongo can be held for ransom without first being given the right of trial by combat.”

“You would?” Vultan frowned before turning to an aide, “Is there such a law?”

“Uh-huh,” nodded the aide. 

“Damn!” Sulked Vultan for a moment before a crafty look came to his face, “And who would you chose to fight?”

“Her,” Barin nodded towards Faith.

“Y'what!” Faith gasped in astonishment, “Ya gotta be kidding me,” it had become clear to Faith that she was surrounded by morons, “Ya all insane, y'know that, right?”

Just as this interview was taking place, Dawn and Willow had been taken from their holding cell and were being brought back up to the audience chamber once again.

“I wonder what's going to happen now?” Dawn asked, she noticed Willow looking at her watch, she looked worried, “What wrong?”

“I'm calculating,” Willow informed Dawn slowly, “if what I think is right, the time remaining before the Moon gets too close to the Earth and destroys it is a little over fourteen hours!”

“Then we better get a wiggle on and save the day!” Dawn replied just as they entered the audience chamber; seeing Faith, Dawn completely forgot about saving the Earth.

“FAITH!” Dawn sprinted across the audience chamber and into Faith's arms, “FAITH,” Dawn cried, “you're alive, are you okay?”

“I am now,” Faith hugged Dawn's barely clothed body to her own.

“Boy have I got some crap to tell you!” Dawn explained as she loosened her hold on Faith for just a moment.

“Tell me later once we get married or y'know one of those civil partnership things,” Faith smiled, Dawn's absence had made her realise just how much she loved the girl.

“Hey!” Cried Willow from the back of the group.

“Oh, sorry Red,” Faith apologised, “I didn't see you there.”

“No, its okay,” Willow shrugged she was used to not being noticed, “but I was gonna say that sounds a great idea. Maybe Kennie and I should do that what with a baby one the way...” Willow jumped up and down a little as she had what she thought was a brilliant idea, “Maybe Giles and us could all get married at the same time? Like a triple wedding or something!”

“Yeah,” Dawn turned from Faith to look at Willow, “that's a great idea! But hey!,” Dawn's face fell a little as she thought of something, “who gets to wear the dresses?”

“No way I'm wearing a stupid dress,” muttered Faith.

“ENOUGH!” cried Vultan fed up with listening to wedding plans.

“Would you leave us alone!?” Dawn cried as she was pulled away from Faith, “I've just got engaged.”

In a show of rank grandstanding, someone struck a large gong, as Faith and Barin were forced to walk out onto a platform that appeared to float over a large round hole in the floor of the chamber.

“Let the combat BEGIN!” Vultan roared, “TO THE DEATH!”

Looking over the edge of the platform, Faith saw it was a very long way down, if in fact there had been any 'up'. As it was there was only down. Looking up she saw Barin standing on the other side of the platform.

“Y'know we don't have to do this,” Faith explained, “we could all team up and fight Ming.”

Someone tossed two bull-whips onto the platform, obviously, thought Faith, this was what they had to fight each other with.

“Come on, Barin,” Faith tried again as the Treeman ignored her, “y'know it makes sense.”

Instead of answering her Barin went for one of the whips. Faith moved in to body check him. Succeeding in knocking Barin to the ground Faith failed to stop him getting to one of the whips. Snatching the other whip up, Faith was just in time to hear Barin's whip crack above her head.

“Come on Barin,” Faith tried to reason with the man for the third and final time, “we should be fighting Ming not each other.”

“Faith! Faith!” Dawn's voice floated over to where Faith crouched, “I love you...but we only have fourteen hours to save the Earth!”

“Damn!” Just as Faith was about to close with Barin he scored a lucky hit with his whip landing a blow on Faith's left shoulder, “OWWW!”

Clutching at her shoulder, Faith realised she'd had just about enough of this green-clad fashion victim. Advancing on the Treeman she dodged his increasingly frantic attempts at hitting her again. Grabbing the man by the arm she tossed him over the edge of the platform before taking a moment to watch him plummet into infinity. The chamber went silent (apart from the noise made by multiple jaws hitting the floor) as everyone stood and stared at Faith in shock, this was not how it was supposed to happen.

“Erm...” said Vultan not sure about what he should do next.

Vultan avoided having to think of something to say, when the city's alarm system started to sound. Everyone turned around to look out through a large window at the sky beyond. There hovering like some malignant wasp was one of Ming's huge war-rockets. A smaller shuttle craft detached itself from the war-rocket and made its way towards the flying city.

“HAWKMEN!” Vultan yelled, “TO YOUR POSTS!”

Hawkmen started to run hither and yon with no reason or order that Dawn or Willow could see, just like the extras in movies did when the director wanted to denote urgent activity. Faith jumped from the platform and came to stand next to Dawn and Willow.

“I wonder who this is?” Faith asked as she jerked her head at the approaching shuttle.

“We'll soon find out,” Willow sighed as the shuttle docked and started to disgorge a party of heavily armed guards.

Once deployed the guards stood at attention as Klytus stepped from the shuttle and walked imperiously into the audience chamber. The Hawkmen shrank back against the walls to let the ominous presence pass. Klytus ignored Vultan, walking right passed him until he stood in front of Willow.

“Agent Rosenberg,” Klytus said in a flat monotone, “you will be liquidated for treachery.”

“Golly,” gasped Willow, “no second chances around here!”

“VULTAN!” Klytus acknowledged the Prince's existence for the first time, “You will surrender these prisoners immediately,” he gestured to Faith and Dawn, “or the Imperial fleet will blast your city to...ATOMS...MAW-HA-HA!”

“Oh fuck this!” Faith had never been a fan of maniacal laughter.

Running towards Klytus, Faith hit him in the stomach with her shoulder, lifting the secret policeman up she ran with him to the edge of the hole in the floor and dumped him over the edge. Screaming the policeman followed Barin to his doom...wherever that might be.

“YAY FAITH!” Dawn cheered as she welcomed her lover back into her arms.

“INTO THE AIR MY HAWK PEOPLE!” Vultan yelled at full volume, “TAKE WHATEVER YOU CAN CARRY, FLY FOR YOUR LIVES!”

“Doesn't that guy know how to speak normally?” Willow asked as she stepped over to join Dawn and Faith.

“You damn Earthling,” Vultan snarled at Faith, for once not yelling at the top of his voice, “you brought down destruction on my kingdom!”

“Oh, give me a break, man,” Faith sighed heavily, “Why don't ya stand an' fight?”

“AGAINST THE IMPERIAL FLEET?” Vultan was back to yelling again.

“Look its the perfect time,” Willow interjected, “they won't be expecting it, we'll take them totally by surprise. I know exactly how to deploy your warriors, we'll slaughter them as they come out from between the clouds!”

“NO!” Vultan cried waving his arms about in the air, “MY DUTY IS TO MY HAWK PEOPLE...FLY MY HAWK PEOPLE...” Vultan made his way towards the window where Hawkmen and women were already making their escape, “...FLY!”

“Then take us with you,” Dawn tried to reason with the breaded prince.

“IMPOSSIBLE,” Vultan shouted into her face, “THERE'S ALREADY MUCH MORE THAN WE CAN CARRY!”

With that he lept from the balcony and flew off after his Hawkmen who were already heading off into the clouds. The three Earth women watched in silence for a moment until Willow sniffed and asked...

“Hey,” Willow pulled a face as she smelt something vile, “what's that smell?”

“That'll be the Hawk-wind,” Dawn replied straight faced.

“So,” Faith shrugged, “what do we do now?”

“We could make parachutes and jump to Arbouria,” Dawn suggested as she moved to pull down a large silver curtain.

“It must be fifty miles down,” Willow pointed out, “we'll kill ourselves.”

“Hey, Red,” Faith turned to Willow, “Can't ya use ya mojo?”

“Well,” Faith had a point; perhaps it was time to take the magical gloves off and start smiting hip and thigh, “maybe...” something caught Willow's eye it was another shuttle coming to dock with the city, “...or perhaps I won't have to.”

“Who...what!?” Dawn turned to look at the shuttle while Faith stood heroically at her side.

“It's Ming!” Willow gasped.

0=0=0=0


	9. Chapter 9

9.

**The Hawkman City.**

Watching as Willow and Dawn were taken away in an Imperial shuttle, Faith shook her head in...disgust? Shame? Once again she'd made the choice not to fight. Of course if she had fought the chances were that Dawn, Willow and herself would be lying dead on the floor right now. When Ming's shuttle had docked as soon as the hatches had opened what seemed like dozens of troops had rushed to take up positions around the audience chamber and they were all pointing their nasty ray-guns a Faith and her friends.

Faith could understand why Willow didn't want to use magic, she was pregnant and didn't know how the magics might effect her unborn child. Plus there was always the ever present fear that the magic might take control of Willow and then Ming would be the least of their problems. What Faith didn't understand had been her own inaction. Sure there were loads of guys with guns, but that wouldn't have stopped her in the past. Maybe it had been the presence of Dawn and Willow, especially Dawn that had made her hold back. Perhaps she was just getting old and she now had too much to live for.

Standing in the middle of the audience chamber surrounded by Ming's guards, Faith watched the man himself climb from his shuttle and walk slowly towards her. Smiling Faith shook her head, this time in amusement. She'd never really considered that Ming might be brave until this moment, but anyone who wore a pink, silk uniform with black, patent leather boots had to be insanely brave in her book.

Dismissing all but half-a-dozen of his guards with an imperious wave of his hand, Ming walked over to Faith and sat down on a handy table. He sighed heavily before looking up at Faith and smiling, Faith couldn't tell if he was smiling 'evilly' or not, he probably was.

“I have plans for you,” Ming announced as he looked Faith up and down.

“Yeah, right,” Faith crossed her arms under her breasts and stared down at Ming unmoved.

“You want to destroy me?” Ming asked.

“Well, duh,” Faith shrugged, “it's kinda what I do...kill the big bads an' I gotta save Earth.”

“What if I granted you a kingdom?” Ming wanted to know.

“Wow, man!” Faith gasped at the unexpected offer.

“Ming the Merciless, ruler of the universe, offers Faith Lehane a Kingdom of Mongo,” Ming made his offer, “to rule over as her own.”

“You're freakin' nuts!” Faith laughed, “Why the freakin' hell would ya do that?”

“Because I've never before met your like,” Ming admitted quietly, “you're a hero, don't you see? Who better than you to rule a Kingdom.” Ming leaned towards Faith as he spoke, “Your moon is drifting very close to your Earth now. Earth's end might come within hours.”

“You'd call off the attack?” Faith wanted to know, she could always accept Ming's offer and kill him later.

“I could,” Ming replied in a low menacing voice.

“Everyone would be saved?” Faith found that she was seriously considering Ming's offer.

“Yes...” Ming did smile evilly this time, “...and no. After all the destruction the population won't be quite the human beings you remember,” Ming's evil smile got wider, “They'll be easier for you to rule in the name of Ming.”

“Ya mean slaves?” Faith had come to her decision, she'd never be an ally to Ming.

“Lets say,” Ming could hardly contain his amusement at this point, “they'll be satisfied with...less.”

“What about Dawn?” Faith asked still not letting on that Ming had sighed his own death warrant.

“Dawn?” Ming rose to his feet, “We have decided to marry her...she's exceptional. We will breed with her and send our progeny back to repopulate Earth,” Ming waited for Faith to say something, when she didn't he continued to speak. “You really prefer death to a kingdom?”

Faith nodded her head.

“I'm very disappointed,” Ming sighed regretfully, “I'd much rather see you on my side than scattered into...” Ming kicked a fallen goblet over the edge of the giant hole in the floor and watched it spin through space for a moment or two, “...atoms. But, as you wish,” Ming turned and started to walk slowly towards his shuttle, “We shall return to the Imperial rocket,” he ordered his guards, “leave the Earthling here...to her doom.”

As Ming passed her by, Faith almost reached out to snap his neck. Sure she would have died, but Ming would be dead. The only thing that stopped her was the thought of what might happen to Willow and Dawn, especially Dawn. Her own life she could throw away on some, mad, heroic gesture but not Dawn's or Willow's or Willow's unborn child. Very soon Faith found herself alone in the audience chamber. Turning she followed Ming's shuttle as it took him towards his great red and silver war rocket.

“Damn!” Faith muttered, “Time to find away outta this dump!”

Turning away from watching Ming's warship, Faith strode off in search of some form of escape. Stumbling a little as the first blasts hit the city as Ming's ship opened fire; Faith reasoned that as not all the Hawkmen had had wings there must be some form of transportation for the un-winged Hawkmen to make their escape on. Trotting swiftly down one passage and then another as more blasts impacted the city making it rock violently from side to side, Faith eventually came to a bay that opened out onto the sky. Through the smoke and debris caused by Ming's bombardment, Faith saw one of the Jet-cycles that seemed to be the preferred form of transport for the un-winged. 

Jumping aboard as loud explosions ripped through the city, Faith found the Jet-cycles controls to be even simpler that those of Aura's rocket ship. Strapping herself in, Faith hit the starter and was relieved to hear the cycle's motor's burst into live. Twisting the throttle wide open, Faith was forced back into her safety harness as the cycle accelerated along its short launching ramp before shooting out from the side of the city and into the sky. Unseen by Ming's ship, Faith flew away from the doomed Hawkman city and towards Mongo and Ming's palace.

0=0=0=0

**One of Ming's many bed chambers.**

Once again, Dawn found herself sitting in the middle of a large round bed surrounded by scantily clad slave girls. The girls were busily employed pampering Dawn to within an inch of her life. They'd cut, filed and painted her nails, she'd been bathed in scented water, her hair had been washed and trimmed and she'd been outfitted in another long flowing silky gown that reached to her ankles while having a neck line that went down to her waist, every time Dawn moved she had to be careful that her breasts didn't slip out of her dress.

And the reason for all this fuss? Dawn had been informed that she'd been promoted from concubine to 'wife' and she'd be marrying Ming the Merciless in the morning...ding-dong the bells were gonna chime. While the knowledge that she was about to become Mrs Ming the Merciless was bad enough, Dawn'd also seen the love of her life killed when Ming had destroyed the Hawkman city. Then to put the cherry on top of this great mound of stinking, fly blow, _crap_ that her life had turned into. Dawn'd found out that the woman who'd at times had been a better sister to her than her real sister, was going to be executed as part of the wedding festivities.

“Life sucks,” Dawn muttered to herself as the door of the bed chamber slid open.

Looking towards the door, Dawn saw two of the scarlet robed, pig faced guards. Between them stood Princess Aura; Dawn recognised her as the woman who'd tried to seduce Faith away from her. The guards pushed the Princess roughly onto the bed next to Dawn. Why they did this, Dawn couldn't work out. Did they expect the two young women to 'make out' or something? Because if they did they were going to be very disappointed. Dawn wasn't that sort of girl, well she was but only with Faith, other girls just didn't do it for her. So, instead of making out, Dawn hit the princes with a right hook to the jaw.

“YOU BITCH!” Dawn cried as she followed up the right hook with a knee to the princess' stomach; grabbing hold of a couple of handfuls of Aura's long brown hair, Dawn tossed her off the bed.

Hitting the floor shoulder first Aura rolled over and came to rest on her knees facing Dawn. Letting her anger get the better of her, Dawn launched herself at the evil princess only to have Aura dodge away from her wild attack. While Dawn was rolling about and getting caught up in the cushions that littered the bed, Aura lept onto Dawn's body and the two young women rolled across the bed striking at each other ineffectually. While all this was going on the slave girls had taken shelter behind curtains and pillars and were watching the two 'ladies' fight it out. Life was fairly dull for slave girls at Ming's palace so they took their entertainment where they could.

“Dawn stop!” Aura pleaded as she parried a viciously swung pillow to the head, “I'm a prisoner too! I'm going to be exiled in the morning!”

“LIAR!” Dawn swung the pillow she was holding extra hard at Aura's head and was rewarded by seeing the beautiful, but oh so wicked princess, fall to the mattress momentarily stunned by the blow.

Scrambling to her feet, Aura made a break for the door, the Earth woman was more than a match for her and she knew it. Rugby tackling Aura, Dawn brought the princess down and they struggled on the floor for a few more minutes. Wriggling out of Dawn's grasp like a greased ferret, Aura once again made a break for the door. This time Dawn caught her before she'd even got near the door and threw her down onto the bed with a hip throw. However, this time when Dawn moved in for the kill, Aura managed to plant a foot firmly in Dawn's stomach and throw her over her head. Dawn bounced on the bed as she landed before quickly recovering and turning to face Aura.

“This just another trick, Aura?” Dawn wanted to know as she pushed her breasts back inside her dress.

“Is this a trick?” Aura asked as she pointed to the tears in her eyes, “Could tears come from my eyes if my heart hadn't changed?” the princess crawled across the bed towards Dawn, “I've been such a spoiled fool,” the girl admitted, “I never knew what my father really was...”

“Yeah, right,” Dawn replied unconvinced; however, she did reach out and touch Aura's face and felt her tears wet against her hand.

“No its true,” Aura begged, “I never knew how evil he was until he let Klytus have the Bore Worms read to me.”

“Yeah, okay,” Dawn shrugged as she relaxed and sat back on her heels (while making sure her boobs didn't pop out of her dress again), “I'll believe you this once...but I'm never going to totally trust you.” she pushed her hair away from her face, “You have Ming's blood in you, you'll be cozying up to him in the morning.”

“Not if you give him this,” Aura produced a small veil of dark red liquid from her cleavage, “it's deadly poison,” Aura breathed heavily making her breasts rise and fall as they almost escaped from the top of her tight, pink, outfit. “My father always drinks a power potion before he makes love...”

“A power potion?” Dawn asked, “You mean like Viagra?” the princess nodded, “EWWWWW! Total perv, or what?”

“Drop that into his glass, tonight,” Aura moved closer to Dawn as she breathed more heavily and her breasts squeezed themselves from her top.

Dawn didn't notice Aura breasts or indeed how close the immoral princess had got to her over the last few seconds.

“I can't,” Dawn replied sadly.

“WHY!?” Aura screeched as she pushed her breast out of site.

“I gave your father my word of honour,” now Dawn had time to think on it, it did seem like a stupid thing to do.

“What word?” Aura demanded, “Are you simple or something?”

“I said I'd try to be a good wife,” Dawn held the vile of poison in her hand and thought that the poison option sounded way better than what she'd promised Ming. “He did say he'd spare Willow's life.”

“You stupid cow!” Aura sobbed, “My father has never kept a promise in his life! What were you thinking?”

“I can't help that,” Dawn replied; or maybe she could as she eyed the veil again, “keeping our word is one of the things that make us way better than you.”

As Dawn stopped talking the door opened again. Once more two pig-faced guards appeared, this time they were accompanied by a less scantily dress slave girl (obviously a slave girl overseer), the girl turned to face Aura.

“You will be taken to the waiting area,” the girl signalled the guards to take Aura away, before turning her attention to Dawn, “Your joyous time has come,” the girl looked up at the slave girls as they came out of hiding. “Grab her!” Ordered the overseer with a hard edge to her voice, “Prepare her.”

“Aaagh!” Dawn cried out as she was grabbed by the arms and was dragged kicking and screaming from the chamber.

0=0=0=0

**A Cell deep under Ming's Palace.**

Sitting on the bench-like bed in her cell, Willow realised that the time had come to take the gloves off and rain down death and destruction. Everyone in, or was that on, Mongo was as bad as everyone else, no one seemed to have the greater good at heart. They were all out for their own selfish agendas. So far Willow had refrained from using any major magics because she was worried about what effect it would have on her unborn child (okay he or she might only be a few cells big just now but you never could tell). But now it had come to the point where if she didn't do something her child would die with her.

Getting up, Willow walked across her small cell until she was standing by the door. Bending she examined the door lock, it looked like a simple electronic one, like the ones they had securing the gates at Slayer Central. With a wave of her hand, Willow shorted out the lock and stood back as the door slid open in a cloud of ozone smelling smoke. Stepping out into the corridor, she smiled and chuckled in a way that would have really worried Kennedy had she been there.

“Flaying tonight!” Willow smiled as she walked down the corridor.

0=0=0=0

**A Hawkman Jet Cycle near Ming's Palace.**

When she'd been a little younger than she was now, people had told Faith that she needed to be more careful, that she needed a plan before jumping headlong into a dangerous situation. They always told her this as if it would make what she had to do safer in some way. But Faith knew the truth, what she did on an almost a daily basis was dangerous and in all probability it would kill her one day. Until that day came, she'd do her best to stay alive so that those she loved and cared about would live.

Today Faith had a plan, it wasn't particularly safe and there was no guarantee that it would work, but it was a plan and it was her plan. If it worked, Dawn, Willow and herself could go home and laugh about this later. If it didn't...well, the chances were that she'd take down the big bad anyway and hopefully Dawn and Willow could get away.

Gripping the handle bars of the jet cycle more firmly, Faith began her run towards Ming's palace.

0=0=0=0


	10. Chapter 10

10.

**Mongo Defence Forces, Palace Battery Number 13.**

Sitting in his command chair the battery commander dozed with his feet propped up on his control panel. The raucous sound made by the proximity alarm startled him from his nap. Putting his feet back onto the floor he blinked his eyes clear before leaning forward to study his view screens. Pressing buttons and watching the image on his view screen, the commander gasped. There, clear as day was the accursed Earthwoman, Lehane flying a jet cycle straight towards the Emperor's palace. He pressed another button which would put him in touch with the palace's defence headquarters.

“General Kala,” the battery commander spoke urgently into the microphone in front of him, “Faith Lehane approaching!”

“What do you mean?” Kala looked at her own screen and saw what the battery commander was seeing, “Faith Lehane approach?”

“On a Hawkman Jet Cycle,” the commander confirmed before asking, “shall I inform the Emperor?”

“Idiot!” Kala yelled at her screen and saw the commander wince, “The Emperor would have you shot for interrupting his wedding with this news...open fire when Lehane's in range.”

0=0=0=0

Outside, Faith flew her rocket cycle towards the palace, flying low and fast she hoped to avoid most of the palace's defences. The jagged, rocky walls of the canyon she was flying down flashed by her as she drew closer to the palace. Just as she thought that maybe she'd avoided being detected, a hail of anti-jet-cycle fire reached up towards her. Ducking instinctively behind the cycle's control column, Faith started to weave the cycle from side to side in an attempt to put the gunners off their aim. Unfortunately the palace's gunners were not to be fooled so easily and several energy bolts hit the cycle in rapid succession. Turning the cycle away from the palace, Faith sped off back down the canyon in full retreat. It was time for part two of her plan, she only hoped that the enemy would fall for her faux retreat.

0=0=0=0

“She's escaping, you idiot!” Kala yelled over her comm link at the battery commander; turning to another officer, Kala regained control of her temper. “Dispatch war-rocket Cif to bring back Lehane's body.”

0=0=0=0

Glancing over her shoulder as she sped away from the palace, Faith saw the ponderous shape of a great, silver war rocket rise from the palace. Good, she smiled, they'd fallen for her plan, sometimes the bad guys were just too easy to fool. Coaxing a little more speed out of the jet cycle, Faith started to climb out of the canyon as if she was in full retreat. For the next part of her plan she'd need a large cloud formation, just like the one she could see a couple of miles ahead of her.

0=0=0=0

“Charge the boosters!” ordered the Captain of IMWR Cif; looking out of the forward window of the Cif he could just make out the flyspeck that was Faith Lehane and her jet cycle.

“Faith Lehane in range, Captain,” announced the ship's pilot.

“FIRE!” The Captain yelled.

The pilot pressed the firing button on the arm of his pilot's chair and bursts of deadly energy sprang from the Cif's main batteries towards Faith's tiny cycle. All missed as Faith's diminutive craft disappeared into a large orange cloud.

“Will we go in after her Captain?” the pilot wanted to know.

“No,” the Captain shook his head, “reduce speed...”

“She's not coming out, Captain,” observed the pilot.

“Charge the capacitors to electrify the cloud,” the Captain ordered, before turning to speak to another bridge officer, “Prepare skynet to catch Lehane's body,” looking back out of the window at the cloud the Captain gave the order, “Fire capacitors!”

At the Captain's word of command a great beam of energy was directed at the cloud from an array on the spine of the Cif. The cloud glowed brightly as the particles of water and dust contained in the cloud were charged with electricity. However, no body fell into the waiting skynets.

0=0=0=0

Having flown into the cloud in full view of Ming's war rocket, Faith had immediately changed course. Flying out of the side of the cloud, she dived to avoid being seen by the Cif. Bringing her cycle around in a wide arc she came up behind the Cif from below. Once again the enemy had proved to be predictable. She'd guessed correctly that the one place the Cif's crew wouldn't be able to spot her approach was from below and behind the war rocket. They'd even made her life easier by bringing the rocket to a halt.

Reducing speed, Faith brought her cycle along side the comic book style rocket. Up close the rocket didn't appear to be as large as she'd at first thought. Coming into land on the rocket's starboard wing, Faith jumped from her cycle, walked across the wing until she came to the craft's fuselage. Here there was a ladder built into the side of the ship leading up to what looked like a hatch. Taking hold of the rungs, Faith quickly climbed up the side of the rocket. A quick turn of the hatch's handle gave Faith access to the interior of the rocket. Climbing inside and dogging the hatch closed behind her, Faith went in search of her first victim.

Sneaking along a grey metal corridor, Faith was momentarily surprised to find herself coming face to face with an equally surprised looking crewman. Unfortunately for the crewman, Faith recovered first; grabbing hold of the man, she smashed his head into the corridor bulkhead. Dropping him on the floor, Faith bent down and retrieved his sidearm. Hefting the weapon in her hand, Faith guessed that it was probably some sort of small ray-gun, whatever it was she'd use it to great effect in the next few minutes.

Continuing down the corridor, Faith heard the sound of boots on the metal floor up ahead of her. Dodging into a side corridor, Faith waited for the boot's owners to appear. Hearing the crewmen come down a ladder, Faith sprang from cover and gunned down four or five crewmen in a flashing confusion of bright energy beams and smoke. The enemy screamed as they fell to the floor victims of the slayer's deadly accurate fire. As Faith stepped over the bodies of the downed crewmen she heard an alarm start to blare. No time for stealth now, Faith told herself as she climbed up the ladder to the next level. It was time for a good old fashioned stand up fight, just the sort of thing that she excelled at.

Over the next five minutes or so, Faith fought her way through the ship killing most of the crew as she went. By the time she'd got got to the hatch to the bridge she'd acquired a much more powerful weapon. Powerful enough, in fact, to blast open the hatch that was preventing her getting to the bridge. Triggering the weapon, Faith blasted open the hatch. Shoulder rolling through the remains of the hatch she bounced to her feet as the bridge crew went for their sidearms. It didn't help them, in fact the movement made by them reaching for their weapons just drew Faith's attention to their positions. Once her eye fell upon them an energy beam was soon to follow.

In a welter of white hot beams, blood and screams, Faith had the bridge to herself in less than five seconds. Stepping over the corpses of the crew, Faith reached the pilot's chair. Resting her weapon against the side of the chair she heaved the pilot's dead body out of the way before sitting down and examining the ship's controls. Like everything else in Mongo, the rocket was easy to pilot, being only slightly more complex that Aura's small rocket ship. Smiling, Faith grasped the controls. Increasing speed slowly she turned the ship around and headed back towards Ming's palace.

0=0=0=0

**Ming's Palace.**

“Attention all wedding guests,” General Kala's voice echoed from the palace's PA system, “behold the face of you Empress of the Hour!”

A giant sized portrait of Dawn was unveiled high up on one of the audience chamber's walls.

“HAIL, MING, HAIL!” Chanted the wedding guests in appreciation that Ming had invited them to his wedding and was not going to execute them...at least not today.

0=0=0=0

**Deep under Ming's Palace.**

It had taken Willow longer than she'd imagined it would to find the upper levels. However, she'd persisted walking through the lower corridors and dispatching any guards she bumped into with a dismissive wave of her hand. Had there been anyone left alive to follow her they'd have found a trail of eviscerated and flayed bodies all leading to the red haired witch who marched determinedly onwards and upwards.

Coming to the door of an elevator, Willow tried to activate the call button. Nothing happened as she waved her hand in front of the electronic eye. Sighing heavily, she muttered words of power under her breath and watched as the door obediently opened in front of her. Stepping into the lift she pressed the button for the upper levels where she should be able to find the command centre.

0=0=0=0

**Ming's Audience Chamber.**

A band played the 'Wedding March' as Dawn was dragged into the chamber by two pig faced guards. Over on a balcony the Princess Aura was also being dragged out into the open by several more guards so she could witness her father's happy union with the Earthwoman Dawn Summers. Above the palace a rocket ship flew by in salute to the Emperor, the ship trailed a long banner which said, 'All creatures are to make merry...on pain of death!'

0=0=0=0

**Mongo Defence Forces Headquarters.**

“IMRS Cif is returning,” announced the battery commander from Kala's view screen.

“With Lehane's body?” Kala asked evilly.

“I presume so,” replied the battery commander with a shrug, “communications are out for some reason.”

“Are they in the proper approach pattern for today?” Kala asked suspiciously.

“Negative,” replied the commander.

“Open fire!” Kala ordered realising something had gone horribly wrong somewhere.

“On the Cif, General?” quieried the commander.

“OPEN FIRE!” Kala yelled at the man on her view screen, “ALL WEAPONS! Now charge the lightning field...” Kala struck a heroic pose, “...I take personnel responsibility in the Emperor's name.”

0=0=0=0

Back up in the audience chamber, Dawn had stopped trying to fight her guards and was now walking slowly towards what looked like an altar, it might as well have been a hangman's noose as far as she was concerned. The altar was set up in front of a huge arch that looked out over the desolate surface of Mongo. There was a cry from the guests and Dawn looked up to see a great shimmering cloak of light had enveloped the entire palace. Next, Dawn's ears picked out the sound of heavy weapon's fire as the palace's defence batteries started to shoot into the sky. Dawn smiled, this could only mean one thing, Faith was coming to get her!

“Attention all wedding guests,” once again General Kala's voice echoed from the PA, “There is no cause for alarm, the city's weapons are being fired in continuous salute in honour of His Majesty's wedding.”

0=0=0=0

**War Rocket Cif.**

Gripping the controls of the mighty rocket tightly in her hands, Faith steered the ship through the blizzard of fire directed at her. The rocket shuddered and shook as it took multiple hits, but, Faith held the craft on course. Her plan was simple as all the best plans were; she was going to crash the Cif into the palace were the explosion would hopefully give Dawn and Willow a chance to escape. With just a little more luck it would also kill Ming and stop whatever power was being used to destroy Earth. It was a desperate plan and one that would probably kill her. Faith looked on it as a rational transaction, one life for billions.

0=0=0=0

**Ming's Palace.**

Coming out of the lift, Willow found herself in some kind of control room. Looking to her left she saw General Kala, the woman who'd helped Klytus in his unsuccessful brain washing attempts. Waving her hand at the General, Willow didn't even stop to watch as the General exploded in a pink haze of blood and body parts. Turning towards the operators sitting at their control panels, Willow smiled as they screamed and writhed in agony as they all fell dead on the floor. Stepping over the carpet of bodies, Willow touched the panels of flashing lights and read outs.

Instantly information was delivered straight to her mind, she now knew exactly what was happening in and around the palace. Her first instinct was to rush to the audience chamber and eliminate everyone there before rescuing Dawn. But, the more logical part of her mind told her it would be better to stay here and help Faith in her attempt to attack the city. Seeing exactly what Faith was trying to do, Willow gasped at the bravery of the dark slayer. Faith was trying to crash the war rocket onto the city so as to destroy Ming's power once and for all and save Earth at the same time.

Unfortunately, Kala had activated the city's lightning field. If Faith's rocket touched the field the rocket would be destroyed before she'd even had a chance of killing Ming. Willow needed to shut down the lightning field before it was too late. Searching through the programs contained in the defence computer's memory banks, Willow quickly found what she was looking for, with a smile she switched off the lightning field. There was nothing she could do about the defence batteries as they were on local fire control. However, at least Faith now had a fighting chance to succeed.

0=0=0=0

Up in the audience chamber, Dawn found herself standing in front of the altar, there was a priest and Ming had come to stand beside her. This was not how she'd imagined her wedding day, lifting her eyes to the sky she caught a glimpse of a battered smoking wreck of a rocket ship making its way through a barrage of fire towards the palace.

“Faith?” Dawn sobbed quietly.

“Do you, Ming the Merciless,” intoned the priest, “take this Earthling, Dawn Summers to be your Empress of the Hour?”

“Of the hour, yes,” Ming replied evilly.

“Do you promise to use her as you will,” the priest continued, “and not to blast her into space...” the priest noticed the warning look Ming was giving him, “...until such time as you grow bored with her?”

“Certainly,” Ming smiled even more evilly.

“I DO NOT!” Dawn yelled into Ming's face, she was grabbed from behind by two guards before she could attack Ming.

0=0=0=0

Aboard the Cif, Faith held her course with grim determination as the pilot's chair was enveloped in smoke and flame. The rocket was little more than a flying pile of junk now but Faith nursed it towards her target. There was less than half a mile to go when she noticed the field of light surrounding the palace vanish. Ramming the throttles all the way forward, Faith gritted her teeth and waited for the end to come. In her life she regretted doing and saying many things, but most of all she regretted not being able to spend the rest of her life, no matter how long or short it might be, with Dawn.

“Good luck, Dawnie,” Faith called knowing that Dawn would never hear her last words, “I love ya so much...”

0=0=0=0

The rocket was now so close that no one could ignore it any more. First the wedding guests started to scream and run towards the exits. Next Ming himself looked over his shoulder to see the great flaming wreck heading right towards him. As the priests made a rapid exit to avoid going to their eternal reward some what earlier than they'd bargained for, Dawn broke free from her distracted guards and pounced on Ming. Kicking him in the shin she pushed him towards the approaching rocket. Hoping and stumbling across the great balcony, Ming was too late to stop Dawn diving for cover. Looking up once more he saw that the rocket was almost on top of him now, he turned to run but he was too late.

Crashing through the great arch the rocket didn't explode as it ploughed its way through the altar towards the fleeing Ming. Although heavily damaged the long spike on the nose of the Cif had not been hit. The long tapering metal spike pierced Ming's back and the momentum of the heavy craft drove the spike through Ming's body until two feet stuck out of Ming's chest and yet he hadn't died! Transfixed like a butterfly on a collectors pin, Ming struggled weakly to free himself. Slowly he slid from the end of the spike, falling to the floor he forced himself up on one knee as his green blood stained the front of his red uniform.

Surprised to still be alive, Faith pushed herself from the pilot's chair. Collecting up her weapon she climbed out of the bridge to find herself standing on the rubble of the great audience chamber. Walking around the nose of the war rocket, Faith saw Ming kneeling on the floor with blood oozing from his chest. Seeing her arch-enemy helpless before her, Faith raised her ray-gun to finish Ming once and for all, Ming saw her and raised his hand and pointed his ring towards her. Suddenly Faith found she couldn't move as she was enveloped in a purple haze.

“Pitiful fool,” Ming gasped as his strength ebbed away, “my life is not for any Earthling to take...”

“Screw you!” Dawn kicked Ming's hand knocking the ring away from Faith.

The instant Faith was free of the paralysing beam she fired her ray-gun. Hit by multiple bursts of energy, Ming screamed hideously as he disintegrated and fell as a great pile of pinkie-grey dust onto the floor.

“FAITH!” Dawn cried as she rushed into Faith arms knocking her weapon to one side as she did so, “YOU'RE ALIVE!”

Just to check Dawn pressed her lips hungrily against Faith's as she felt her lovers arms enfold her in a strong comforting embrace. This was how Willow found them when she eventually made it to the ruins of the audience chamber several minutes later.

“Hey guys?” Willow called as she approached the couple, they didn't move or appear to notice her, “Erm, guys?” Willow called once again, as much as she didn't want to intrude on this touching reunion she could hear firing in the distance and she thought it might be a good time to leave. “HEY! GUYS!” Willow yelled, this time Faith and Dawn did hear and stepped away from each other.

“Hi Red,” Faith smiled as she held onto Dawn, her arm around the younger woman's waist, “You okay? Ya look okay...?”

“Yeah I'm fine,” Willow went over to the couple and started to shepherd them towards the exit, “Ming's dead and I've stopped the attack on Earth, by the time we get home the moon should be back where its supposed to be, now lets move!”

0=0=0=0

As the trio walked across the multi coloured sands of Mongo heading back towards the portal, Faith glanced over her shoulder to see smoke and explosions engulf the palace. The sound of heavy small arms fire drifted across the desert sands and to her ears.

“What's going on back there?” Faith asked.

“I expect its all the different factions fighting over who's going to rule Mongo now Ming's dead,” Willow suggested.

“Good riddance to 'em, I say,” Dawn said as she held onto Faith tightly, “can we go home now?”

“Yeah, lets,” Willow nodded before leading everyone back to the portal and home.

0=0=0=0

Faith a-ah!  
Saviour of the Universe.  
Faith a-ah!  
She'll save every one of us.

(Radio Anchorman: “Seemingly there is no reason for these extraordinary intergalactical upsets.”)  
(Emperor Ming: “MAW-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha-Ha!”)  
(Dawn: “What's happening Faith?”)  
(Radio Anchorman: “Only Dr Willow Rosenberg, formerly at UC Sunnydale, has provided any explanation…”) 

Faith a-ah!  
She's a miracle.

(Radio Anchorman: “This morning's unprecedented solar eclipse is no cause for alarm…”)

Faith a-ah!  
Queen of the impossible.

She's for every one of us,  
Stands for every one of us.  
She’ll save with a mighty hand  
Every man, every woman  
Every child, what a mighty  
Faith!

(Minion: “General Kala, Faith Lehane approaching.”)  
(General Kala: “What do you mean Faith Lehane approach? Open fire! All weapons! Dispatch war rocket Cif to bring back her body.”)

Faith a-ah!  
(Prince Vultan: “Lehane's alive!?”)

Faith a-ah!  
She'll save every one of us

Just a slayer,  
With a slayer's courage.  
You know she's  
Nothing but a slayer  
And she can never fail.  
No one but the pure at heart  
May find the Golden Grail…  
...Oh...Oh...Oh...Oh...

(Dawn: “Faith, Faith, I love you, but we only have fourteen hours to save the Earth!”)

**FAITH!**

THE END!


End file.
